Florèz Wines "Ember Eyes" Santa Cruz Mountains, California 2023

FROM JENNY & FRANCOIS:

THE WINE: “Ember Eyes” is a Zinfandel reimagined, offering a fresh, refined take on the varietal. Fermented with native yeasts and aged in neutral French oak, this wine eschews the heavy, jammy stereotype in favor of energy and elegance. Aromas of blackberry compote, wild strawberry, and a hint of black tea intertwine with flavors of ripe plum, cracked pepper, and dried herbs. Its silky tannins and lifted acidity keep the palate lively, while a touch of earthiness grounds the wine in its natural origins. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with only minimal sulfur, it’s a pure and unadulterated expression of the grape.

THE PRODUCER: Florèz Wines was founded by James Jelks in 2017. Born in Santa Cruz and raised in Davis California Jelks is a west coast kid. After a decade of wine fascination, attending the UC Davis E&V program, and working worldwide Jelks set his sights on producing wines in Santa Cruz county. He is farming some vineyards himself, always dry-farmed, and is also sourcing some fruit from organic and sustainable vineyards. He always works with native yeasts, does not use additives except for a minimal amount of sulfur at bottling, and does not filter the wines.