THE JEFFERSON CLUB - august 2021
This month, we feature talented winemaker, Andrew Erickson’s, Favia “Carbone” Cabernet Sauvignon 2018.
favia “carbone” cabernet sauvignon
2018
Winemakers: Andy Erickson and Annie Favia
Region: Coombsville, Napa Valley, CA
Grape Varietal: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Viticulture: sustainably farmed
Method: 50% new French oak barriques for 22 months
Serving Suggestions: serve at 59-64F
Age: drink or hold through 2034
Nose: lush, chocolaty dark fruits
Palate: juicy, dense, and suculent
Finish: fine, ripe tannins
About favia
Favia is the brainchild of Andy Erickson and Annie Favia. They have restored the old house first built by some of the earliest Italian immigrants to Napa Valley and tend an orchard and garden. Their cellar was one of the earliest stone cellars built in the late 1800s but Antonio Carbone. The Carbone wine is their second label meant to be shared with friends at the dinner table.
“Andy Erickson is the consulting winemaker for Dalla Valle, Arietta, Dancing Hares Vineyard, Mayacamas and Ovid and is the co-owner and winemaker for Favia Wines and Leviathan. After working his first harvest at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Andy went on to study enology at the University of California, Davis, while working at Spottswoode and Saintsbury wineries. He then spent ten years working for three of Napa Valley’s most prestigious estates: Harlan Estate, Staglin Family Vineyards and Screaming Eagle.”
Why I am excited about this wine
Andy Erickson has had an incredible career in producing some of the most prestigious wines from Napa Valley which all demand hefty price points. His Favia Carbone Cabernet delivers all the punch you would expect from such a talented winemaker without the excessive cost. Carbone shows what great terroir can yield in the hands of a great winemaker.
“Readers looking for a killer Cabernet that won’t break the bank should check out the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Carbone from Favia. This dense purple-hued beauty boasts classic cassis and blueberry-like fruit intermixed with lots of tobacco, lead pencil shavings, violets, and spring flower nuances. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant Cabernet with a great mid-palate and the class to evolve for 10-15 years. It’s well worth seeking out.”