2012 Favia, Cerro Sur, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley.
One of the greatest California wines that you may not have heard of, the Favia Cerro Sur red, made from Napa Valley Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the Combesville area is an awesome example of Bordeaux style wine, crafted by ex-Screaming Eagle and Staglin winemaker Andy Erickson and his wife Annie Favia. The 2012 Cerro Sur by Favia is rich and densely pack with opulent fruit, ripe sweet fine/firm tannins and gorgeous detail and class, putting in the same league as Ridge Monte Bello, one of my favorite all time wines, and maybe similar to Dalla Valle Maya, as it too is a wine with lots of Cabernet Franc, this is wine that is right up there with the world’s best and would certainly easily be one of the elite of California (in this vintage) and against the fine reds of Europe it is on the same level as Sassicaia, Cheval Blanc, Pontet Canet and Valbuena by Vega Sicilia! The deep garnet/purple color and silken lush mouth feel seduce completely with acacia/violet perfume, hints of exotic spice and sexy well managed oak framing set the stage for beautiful blackberry, cassis/currant, black cherry and plum fruit along with a spark of flinty stones and mineral elements with a touch of cigar wrapper, graphite, anise, cedar and vanilla. This is a wonderfully poised offering without heaviness or hard edges, one of the more brilliant wines of the vintage with great character, balance and unique sex appeal, this is really stunning stuff. The body is full and lavish, but with an elegant grace and never ending finish, this is a super impressive Cabernet Franc lead wine, it has plenty of depth, extract and life making it a wine that may go another 25 plus years, but still glorious to admire even now, it has what you might call controlled underlying power, like a leopard, gorgeous and satiny but with inner strength and with pure muscle underneath that outer beauty. Erickson has made some amazing wines in his career, but strangely his own label still flies under the radar, and while not cheap, they are well worth the prices.
($150 Est.) 96 Points, grapelive
