2016 Favia "Cerro Sur" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

“A step up over the 2015, the 2016 Cerro Sur is 78% Cabernet Franc and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. Another seamless wine from Erickson, it offers awesome Cabernet Franc notes of forest floor, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and earth as well as copious amounts of cassis and darker berry fruits. It’s full-bodied, layered, elegant, and ultra-pure, and has another two decades of longevity.” (01/2019)

“Powerful, bold and explosive, the 2016 Cerro Sur is a jewel of a wine. Inky dark fruit and a host of savory/mineral notes imbue the 2016 with character and nuance. The 2016 is especially virile, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. This is an extraordinarily beautiful, stunning wine of real pedigree. I loved it. The 2016 is 78% Cabernet Franc and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Franc very much front and center. (AG)” (12/2018)

“Intriguing aromas that briefly recall freshly turned earth before turning to dark berries and dark chocolate cocoa powder. In the mouth the wine is immediately vigorous, with a wash of fresh acidity supporting an extraordinary concentration of the darkest fruit shot through with liquorice. It’s the tannins, or rather their structure, that make the lasting impression. They are felt at first on the tip of the tongue, condensed and finely grained, offering at once support and cushioning to the fine fruit. They are open-spaced, creating an impression of ‘give’ on the mid palate, tightening a little on the long finish as if tailor-made to dress the fruit in beauty and to complete the impression of haute-couture elegance. A savoury wine, powerful, upright and in its prime now. It’s likely to hold this poised balance for another five or six years before developing its earthier undertones and relaxing into maturity over a further decade or more. (CT)” (07/2021)

“Very deep purple-black in color, it reveals lifted redcurrant, kirsch and dried Provence herb scents with hints of unsmoked cigars, underbrush and mossy bark with a touch of espresso. Medium to full-bodied with taut, muscular fruit and a firm line of grainy tannins, it has lovely freshness and a long, earthy finish. (LPB)” (12/2018)

“Clean and pure ripe berries and cherries with dried herbs. Lime undertones. Full-bodied, flavorful and rich with a fresh finish.” (01/2020)

“Really well-built, with layers of fig, boysenberry and blackberry paste flavors, liberally laced with smoldering tobacco notes and backed by a strong wave of loam on the finish. Shows loads of grip, so give this some time. (JM)” (10/2019)