Florez Wines 'Edelzwicker' 2023 Santa Cruz, California

Style 😋: Dry and aromatic white blend with medium body and zesty energy. Offers a nose of peach, lemon lime, and alpine herbs, followed by a bright palate layered with stone fruit, citrus pith, and a hint of spice. 

Grape 🍇: 42% Pinot Gris, 33% Gewürztraminer, 25% Riesling

Place 🌎: Santa Cruz, California

Producer: James Jelks

Story 📖: Florez Wines was founded in 2017 by Santa Cruz native James Jelks. After a decade working in cellars around the world, James returned home to create low-intervention wines rooted in the California coast. He farms some vineyards himself and sources from others committed to organic and sustainable practices. All wines are fermented with native yeast, made without additives or filtration, and feature hand-carved woodcut labels by James’s friend Drew Nelson.

Edelzwicker is James’s homage to the easygoing white blends of Alsace, which he encountered during travels in Strasbourg. A mix of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling, it brings together grapes from two iconic sites: McFadden Vineyard in Potter Valley and Wirz Vineyard in Cienega Valley. Fermented and aged separately in stainless steel and neutral oak, the wine was blended after nine months on lees. Unfined, unfiltered, and bottled without added sulfites.

Pairing 🍽: Raw scallops with yuzu kosho and cucumber