2009 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
Moderately saturated medium ruby. Good energy to the aromas of black cherry, cassis, licorice, violet and graphite minerality. Suave and fine-grained, even if it's a bit less open-knit than the '07 version was two years ago. But this Cabernet boasts a lovely balance of fruit sweetness, minerality and ripe acidity. Finishes with firm but well-integrated tannins and slowly rising length. This wine is palate-saturating without being at all overbearing and I'd expect it to develop more nuance with additional time in bottle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(combines fruit from Meteor Vineyard, another site in Coombsville and one in Oakville): Aromas of plum, cherry and spices. Suave, sweet and savory, with enticing, pliant flavors of red fruits, game and sage. Finishes lush and sweet, with very smooth tannins and lingering notes of red berries and spicecake. More open-knit than it appeared to be in barrel a year ago, but built to age. Incidentally, Andy Erickson and his wife, viticulturalist Annie Favia, did not make their Magdalena bottling in 2009 or 2010 as David Abreu kept the cabernet franc fruit and the cabernet sauvignon was replanted. The Magdalena will be back in vintage 2011.
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a very pretty wine. Flowers, spices, licorice and mint are some of the nuances that add complexity to the bold fruit. There is plenty of energy, focus and brightness in the glass, which helps balance some of the more overt qualities here. This is another gorgeous Cabernet from Annie Favia and Andy Erickson.
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a very pretty wine. Flowers, spices, licorice and mint are some of the nuances that add complexity to the bold fruit. There is plenty of energy, focus and brightness in the glass, which helps balance some of the more overt qualities here. This is another gorgeous Cabernet from Annie Favia and Andy Erickson. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Viticulturist Annie Favia and her husband, winemaker Andy Erickson, are the forces behind Favia. Both Favia and Erickson boast impressive resumes. Favia has worked alongside a number of luminaries including David Abreu and John Kongsgaard, while Erickson has been involved in a number of high-profile projects including Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle and Ovid. I tasted three wines from Favia. Cerro Sur is a Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from vineyards in St. Helena and Coombsville, and includes a small percentage of Petit Verdot. La Magdalena is a Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Madrona Ranch, David Abreu’s vineyard in St. Helena. All of the wines are made with indigenous yeasts and bottled without fining or filtration. Tel. (707) 256-0875; www.faviawines.com
About the producer
Favia is the personal project of cult winemaker Andy Erickson and leading viticulturalist and winemaker Annie Favia. Working in Coombsville and Oakville, they craft single-site, elegant expressions of top Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that are some of the valley’s highest-rated.