2017 Favia Meritage ‘Cerro Sur’ Napa Valley

IWR97 The 2017 Cerro Sur is utterly fascinating in this vintage. Composed of 69% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon which was sourced from 40-year-old deep rooted vines located high in the mountains east of Coombsville. This instantly begins to impress as it bursts open with gorgeous aromatics of ripe black cherries and blackberries which are joined by tobacco, charcoal, minerals, graphite, licorice and fresh spring flowers. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous medium body that is impeccably structured with velvety, polished tannins that result in a wonderful finessed mouthfeel. This goes on to impress with its outstanding balance of beautifully pure rip fruit and gorgeous acidity, which give the wine incredible freshness and energy. It displays remarkable overall precision and focus leading up to the mouth-watering finish. This is an exceptional wine from Andy Erickson that is absolutely beautiful today but should also have a brilliant future ahead.
JD96+ From a higher elevation north-facing site, the 2017 Cerro Sur is 73% Cabernet Franc and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 50% new French oak. It offers beautiful Cabernet Franc dark, chocolately fruit as well as plenty of tobacco, earth, forest floor, violets, and truffle aromas and flavors. Deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it’s already approachable yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.
WS95 This offers up perfumed cassis, warm cherry preserves and smoldering red tea aromas and flavors, set against a backdrop of savory and iron accents. The long finish unfurls slowly, with a smoldering feel. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2021 through 2032.
Estate Notes:  The fruit for our Cerro Sur comes from a breathtaking mountaintop block of Cabernet Franc planted nearly 40 years ago on the famed Rancho Chimiles, high in the Vaca Mountains. Having produced this wine for more than a decade, we can confidently say that this is truly a wine from a very special terroir. The vines consistently produce wines of power, energy, balance and complexity. A long maceration on the skins, minimal racking, barrel aging for 22 months in French oak, and bottling without filtration or fining, help to capture the many nuances of this special wine. 
69% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon 172 cases produced