The majestic bouquet features alluring notes of gardenia and beeswax. The oh-so silky smooth texture offers a veritable symphony of fun fruit and floral notes including butterscotch, honeysuckle, nectarines and white peach plus a hint of flaky pastry on the finish. Beautifully balanced, this is a wine that matches perfectly with seafood (Lobster) with rich sauces and ripe creamy cheese, or you can enjoy it for what it is, pure Viognier, all on its own.

(See CWA’s “Attention Collectors, Meet Favia Wines…”)

Favia Erickson Winegrowers Winery

Over the past decade Annie and Andy have been producing wines under Annie’s maiden name, Favia. Despite receiving lofty ratings in the high 90’s from critics such as Robert Parker, you may not have heard of the Favia label, which is still somewhat under the radar. With only 300 cases or less normally produced for each wine, they’re only available to list members and a few carefully selected high end restaurants. I was fortunate enough to experience a tasting at their Estate recently which was one of my most enjoyable Napa Valley experiences to date.

The Estate is located on a historic property first planted by pioneer, Antonio Carbone in 1886 in Napa’s Coombsville appellation. Antonio Carbone and his brothers were the first Italian immigrants to move to Napa Valley. With their newly found 5 acre property, they founded Carbone Winery. The bottom floor of the house was crafted into a wine cellar with thick stone walls with the main farmhouse style living space resting above it. The Erickson’s have refurbished the space while staying true to its origin. The stone walled once winery, now functioning barrel room, is an intimate space with a rustic ambiance. The property is saturated with decades of winemaking history and is a refreshing change from the flashy Napa Valley tasting rooms we’re all familiar with.