Favia in the News:
Annie and Andy in C Magazine
Top California Reds to Drink Now - Saveur
Favia one of "Three Exotic Whites" in the Wall Street Journal
A superstar couple carve their own path - San Francisco Chronicle 6/13/2010
New York Times: Noshing in Napa
Cabernet Q & A: Napa Valley Winemaker Andy Erickson, Wine Spectator
2009 Top 100 Wines, San Francisco Chronicle
Winemaker Talk: Andy Erickson, Wine Spectator
California's best lesser-known vineyards, San Francisco Chronicle
Female Vineyard Managers, San Francisco Chronicle
FAVIA La Magdalena Napa Valley 2008
96 Points Wine Spectator Insider, August 17, 2011
Beautifully crafted, smooth and seamless, with sharp focus on a rich, layered band of spicy berry, mineral, graphite, blueberry and gravel. Full-bodied, elegant and lively on palate, with a long, persistent finish. One of the best California Cabernet Franc-based wines I've tried. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2022. From California.—JL
FAVIA La Magdalena Red Wine Napa Valley 2008
92 Points Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar, May/June 2011
(from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch property in St. Helena; a 75/25 blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon): Bright ruby-red. Vibrant aromas of redcurrant, cherry, licorice and violet. Fine-grained, suave and utterly seamless, with lovely floral lift. This essentially gentle wine finishes sweet and long, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy breadth. Winemaker Andy Erickson describes this as the most European in style of the three Favia reds, and most appreciated by the New York market.
Not Yet Released. Fall 2011 Release.
FAVIA La Magdalena Napa Valley 2007
94 points Wine Spectator, Oct 15, 2010
Richly flavored, intense and vibrant, with a complex mix of dried currant, loamy earth, sage, cedar, underbrush, graphite and black licorice. Full-bodied, this fans out nicely on the finish, where the flavors get a good lift. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2011 through 2022. 178 cases made. –JL
FAVIA Cerro Sur Red Wine Napa Valley 2008
94 Points Wine Spectator Insider, August 17, 2011
Dense and concentrated, with layers of rich loamy earth, dried berry, blueberry, cedarm, gravel, and graphite. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins, but they're ripe and well-integrated. Uses less Cabernet Franc and shows more density than the La Magdelena bottling. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best From 2013 through 2023. –JL
FAVIA Cerro Sur Red Wine Napa Valley 2008
93+ Points Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar, May/June 2011
(two-thirds cabernet franc from Rancho Chimiles and one-third 33-year-old cabernet sauvignon from a steep hillside): Good dark red-ruby. Enticing aromas of dark berries, licorice, cinnamon spice and tobacco. Fatter and richer but also more muscular than the La Magdalena, with sweeter, plumper fruit showing today. Sound acidity gives brightness to the mid-palate, though. This lush, long wine builds impressively in the mouth and appears to need more time in bottle. "The Texas market loves this," says Erickson.
Not Yet Released. Spring 2012 Release.
FAVIA Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008
92 Points Wine Spectator Insider, August 17, 2011
Complex and distinctive, offering a ripe, dense, complex mix of dark fruit flavors built around plum, black cherry and blueberry, with an unusual nutty zucchini bread edge. Full-bodied, with ele- ments of fresh loamy earth, cedar, roasted herb and toasty oak. Drink now through 2020.—JL
FAVIA Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008
93 Points Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar, May/June 2011
(from Coombsville fruit; includes 7% petit verdot): Bright ruby. Deep broad, nutty nose. Fat, broad and sweet, with sexy musky mocha and smoky, rocky elements currently overshadowing primary fruits. A distinctly earth-driven, supple style that appears to have benefited from long hang time.
Not Yet Released. Fall 2011 Release
The Wine Advocate, December 2009 Issue
Talk about an impressive resume, Annie Favia is married to superstar winemaking consultant Andy Erickson, but she easily stands on her own merits having trained under John Kongsgaard at Newton, worked in David Abreu’s management company for eleven years, then launched her own brand of wines in 2003. This is my first look as these limited cuvees (production ranges from just under 100 cases for La Magdalena to nearly 200 cases of the Cerro Sur). La Magdalena, a Cabernet Franc-dominated wine, comes from David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch Vineyard at the foot of Spring Mountain, the Cabernet Sauvignon comes from two separate Napa regions, St. Helena and Coombsville, and the Cerro Sur comes from the Rancho Chimiles in southern Napa Valley. The three 2006s I tasted represent the third commercial offerings from Annie Favia.
FAVIA Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
95 points The Wine Advocate
The outstanding 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) offers notes of unsmoked high-class cigar tobacco, licorice, blue and black fruits, subtle smoke, and camphor. This deep, rich, full-bodied wine should drink beautifully for 20+ years.
FAVIA 2006 Favia Cerro Sur 2006
94 points The Wine Advocate
The riveting 2006 Cerro Sur is composed of 72% Cabernet Franc and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. Notes of white chocolate, bay leaf, red and black fruits, and dusty, loamy soil comprise the complex aromatics. Exceptionally fragrant as well as deep, broad, and savory with medium to full body, stunning depth and fruit purity, and velvety tannins, this 2006 should drink beautifully for 15+ years.
FAVIA La Magdalena 2006
89 points The Wine Advocate
The 2006 La Magdalena, a blend of 58% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, it exhibits notes of lead pencil shavings, blue fruits, subtle smoke, and forest floor. While medium-bodied and elegant, it is the least impressive wine in this fascinating portfolio.
FAVIA Rompecabezas Amador County 2008
95 points Wine Spectator, Mar 31, 2011
Rich, layered and intense, offering finesse, polish and impeccable balance, with mineral, dried berry, sage, cedar and crème de cassis touches as the parts add up to a wonderfully complex and engaging wine that keeps providing more nuance and detail. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2020. 174 cases made. –JL
FAVIA Rompecabezas Amador County 2007
93 Points Wine Spectator, Feb 28, 2010
Wonderfully pure, ripe, fleshy and grapey wild berry, black cherry and plummy berry flavors have an enticing spicy, peppery edge. Elegant, full-bodied, complex and layered, this is simply delicious to drink, with a long, persistent finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Drink now through 2015. 128 cases made. –JL
FAVIA Syrah Amador County Quarzo 2008
95 points Wine Spectator, March 31, 2011
Rich, thick and polished, full-bodied and stylish, with a vivid, complex core of dried berry, roasted herb, mocha and espresso flavors that slowly and gracefully unfold and turn increasingly elegant on the long, sophisticated finish. An excellent Favia Amador Syrah. Drink now through 2020. 154 cases made. –JL
FAVIA Syrah Quarzo Amador County 2007
95 points Wine Spectator, Feb 28, 2010
Immense and expressive, offering broad, expansive layers of wild berry and blackberry, fresh, loamy earth, pepper, spice and nutmeg, with a rich mouthfeel that lets the berry fruit fan out and gain nuance and complexity. Drink now through 2017. 220 cases made. – JL
