Fame in the wine business is a strange thing. Quality is nearly always a prerequisite, but what makes a Silver Oak catch on with the public in a way that a dozen equally fine producers of Cabernet Sauvignon never do? Sometimes it's some kind of international publicity like winning a taste off against famous French wines or being served by a president to some foreign potentate.

Some wineries become famous by playing the competition game and winning more medals than anyone else over a long period of time. Others just have some magical cachet, some combination of brand name, packaging and taste that captures the public fancy with little or no promotion. Go figure.

Then there are rock solid estate wineries, vineyard driven, highly respected by the trade, by critics and even the cognoscente, but that never quite catch on with the public at large. Flora Springs is such an estate.

Flora Springs 1998 "Napa" Pinot Grigio ($12) THis California rendition of the popular Italian grape variety is a delight. Very forward, slightly herbaceous with a hint of gooseberry aroma and flavor. Fruit is the statement here, not oak. A wine for Sauvignon Blanc lovers, and designed to accompany the same kinds of seafoods. Rating: 95/87

Flora Springs 1997 "Napa-Reserve" Chardonnay ($24) Big melon and tropical fruit, barrel-fermented style. Almost floral, as if it had a bit of Viognier or Riesling in the blend. Well made, but not to my taste. Rating: 84/84

Flora Springs 197 "Napa" Merlot ($21) Licorice notes on top of ripe black cherry and cassis. Velvety soft, but with a bit of spine to see it age and improve for up t five years. Rating: 90/84

Flora Springs 1996 "Napa" Trilogy ($45) The winery's famous Meritage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Black plum, black cherry and cassis. Smoky barrel-ch complexity. Delicious; miles to go. Definitely a wine for the cellar. Rating: 94/84

Flora Springs has broad but limited distribution. Look for it in restaurants and fine wine emporiums. For more information on retail availability: Flora Springs, 1978 W Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-5711.

COLLECTABLE WINE OF THE WEEK

Flora Springs 1996 "St. Rutherford Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon ($32) Very serious red wine, featuring highly extracted blackberry, boysenberry and cassis fruit flavors. A real lipsmacker. A great Cab for now or 20 years from now. Beautifully balanced with after-flavors that go on and on. Rating: 96/84

CAREFREE PARTY

Ever been to a party or wedding reception where the evening was ruined because someone, or several someones, had a little too much bubbly? There is a solution to this problem and it does not involve drinking either carbonated grape juice or joining the WCTU.

I recently tasted a product called "Touchstone 6" Soft Champagne, a really tasty, naturally fermented sparkling wine with fresh lemon-citrus flavors and a very clean, crisp and refreshing finish and it's only $8 a bottle. What makes it special is that it only contains 6 percent alcohol, where most wines and champagnes contain 12-14 percent alcohol.

The thing is, unlike no-alcohol wines, which do not taste much like wine at all, Touchstone 6 tastes really good. You could serve it at a wedding reception and few if any of the guests would have a clue that they were drinking reduced alcohol wine. (I won't bore you with details of the technical procedure that removes the alcohol.)

With less than half the alcohol, guests can drink considerably more without facing the usual problems of overindulgence. There are also Touchstone 6 table wines, a white, red and a blush. They are quite tasty, too, and could easily be served with a reception dinner or simply consumed by the glass for refreshment.

Alas! At the moment the wines are only available in a few locations in California and New York, but the producer is seeking wider distribution and the wines can be ordered by phone or over the internet. Touchstone Cellars, P.O. Box 611, Graton, CA 95444 (707) 829-6212; E-mail: info@softwines.com. And do check out the website: www.softwines.com

WINE IN A BAG

I've told you before that I'm always suspicious of wines with very odd or unusual packaging. Bottles shaped like fishes, or that are covered with plastic that is supposed to look like straw, are usually a pretty good indication that the wine inside needs the gimmick to sell it. Every now and then I get fooled.

When I first saw the Chilean Cabernet in its own little burlap bag, all the warning lights started flashing in my brain...gimmick wine!, gimmick wine! And there's no doubt that the bag is a gimmick in it's modern rendition. In its long ago origins, when bottles were taken to market without benefit of cardboard cartons, and over rough back-country roads, the bags prevented the bottles from breaking.

When the U.S. importer saw it in Chile he instantly saw the marketing potential. And then when he tasted the wine and discovered it was awfully good he knew he had a winner...even if the brand name is unpronounceable by most anglos. People just ask for the wine in the bag.

Vino De Eyzaguirre 1996 "San Francisco De Mostazal" Reserva Especial Cabernet Sauvignon ($8) Still youthful, mostly berry fruit, with some ripe black currant underneath. Notes of earthy complexity beginning to develop. Enough structure and tannin to improve in the bottle for five years or more. Drink it with grilled beef, lamb or rabbit. And I haven't a clue as to what you should do with all those little burlap bags you're go to collect. Rating: 88/94

For information on the wine in the bag contact the importer: Cabernet Corp. (415) 884-9000; E-mail: info@cabernetcorp.com; www.cabernetcorp.com

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Wines are scored using a unique 100 point system. First number rates quality; second number rates value.