2019 Favia Cerro Sur
Producer: Favia - Erickson
Region: Coombsville, Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Grapes: 73% Cabernet Franc, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2019
ABV: 14.8%
Vivino: 4.5
Drink By: 2042
Occasional Wine Note: This may be the best Cabernet Franc we've ever had. It's definitely extraordinary. You're greeted by a beautiful bouquet, dark ripe fruits, cocoa, with herbal, savory notes so brilliantly interwoven. The only thing that keeps this bottle from disappering faster is that you'll want to savor this all the way through a long luscious finish.
Decanter
Critic Score: 100
A new addition to the Place de Bordeaux this year - the eponymous project of husband and wife duo; viticulturist Annie Favia and winemaker Andy Erickson. A beautifully scented nose full of rose and violet touches, the Cabernet Franc nuances leap from the glass - fresh and minty, full of herbal sun-kissed ripe fruit but pristinely delivered. Smooth and driving on the palate, crunchy, crisp flavours give a real bite to the palate - red berries, blackcurrants and raisins, all nicely integrated and balanced. This doesn't feel super worked and polished, instead it gives crystalline iron-minerality, lifted acidity and fragrance throughout - real signatures of the terroir and the minimal interventionist winemaking style - the grapes speak more than the winemaking. I just love the sense of wildness, a smoked touch with blue fruits, Asian spices and slightly angular tannins but with ripe fruit giving the body and cool acidity giving the freshness. A stunning wine and welcome addition to the Place. Ageing in French oak barrels (50% new).
Antonio Galloni
Critic Score: 98
From a north-facing site at elevation, the 2019 Cerro Sur is a bold, savory wine loaded with energy. This Cabernet Frac-based wine is bursting with tension. Floral, spice and mocha accents lend striking aromatic top notes. I am so impressed with the wine’s elegance and total sense of finesse. This is an especially savory wine with strong cool-climate aromas and flavors that are so captivating.