My last bottle of my 2nd stash of this one, wanted to share one with HMC.....haven't gone into my 3rd stash yet.
Decanted 2+ hours and enjoyed over 3+ more with HMC and Carol. All the notes of my last bottle, maybe just a point less. This one came into balance much earlier on and settled in its 95 point slot quickly before fading a point at the end.
Stewed fruit initially, gone within an hour or two of air and replaced by complexity on the nose and palate. Great cab franc elements (62%) blended with the cab sav (38%). Consistent results within a point or so from bottle to bottle and lot to lot. One of my fav blends in all of Napa.
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So.....loved this one so much, I picked up 2 more bottles at auction over the past year. This is the first bottle of the new stash....OMG, it just keeps getting better.
Everything the last note says from nearly a year ago, plus......with 3-4 hours of air, this is dense, deep, structured, juicy, integrated, balanced and powerful. If anything, there is a hint of alc overriding everything, but it's so good, I'm willing to overlook that warm feeling in the back of my throat......a 12 yo wine that reeks of hedonism and power? I love that.........
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Blew through my original 3 pack of this one back in 2020. Haven't had another until today with gteran76 and his SO.....
Decanted 2+ hours then back into the bottle to take to our fav steakhouse, Chops. Pnp'd at the table to dark garnet color in the glass and a wonderful cab franc dominant nose of perfumed red fruit....the palate notes are pretty much identical to my first bottle from 6/20 except for it now being just a tad more aged/integrated/smooth. In a great drinking window right now but clearly can go for a few more years. No green notes noted to this bottle at all. I guess I've just been lucky with these? Thoroughly enjoyed by all at the table.
This wine is drinking nicely at the age of 11, a bit bricked on the rim from what I thought it to be a little older, like a 2006-2007. Hints of mocha tobacco and berries, with a finish into menthol maybe coming from the Cabernet Franc? I liked this one even though I think is either on its way down or it was over exposed to oxygen. Either way good bottle and great time thanks to Mark and Carol!
92 - Drink up.
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Half the bottle into the decanter and the other half in to a 375 ml. A few early sips, the rest a 30 min decant. Early sips somewhat muted though showing a bit with swirling—cola, black and red raspberry, fresh green herbs. a touch more green pepper.
At 30 min—more green than fruit, with earthy dirt, cedar and tobacco, the cab franc has taken hold. Needs more air, a pairing with venison will not be the cards with this recalcitrant bugger. 60 min showed no improvement.
2 days later, opened other half with a shake decant and drank over 2 hr but took 90 min. more air for the fruit to finally makes its appearance.
This bottle did not show well overall, a big disappointment for me. 92 at its best, 89 for most of the time.
Nice floral nose that opened with mocha and black fruit. Decanted it for 45 minutes. A nice cocoa with dark cherry and sweet black raspberry that had oak tannins that were moderate. solid 96 points and could go another 5-7 years.
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Popped the cork, shook some air in, and slow ox’d for 4 hrs.
This is a great wine, but this particular bottle did not show as well as I would have liked or as well as prior bottles. Funky and earthy nose, red and black fruit on the palate, but somewhat flat and muted on the finish. Could not pinpoint why this bottle lacked the pizzazz I associate with the Favia cab blends. This was a bottle that I kept wishing would be what it was not. This was like telling your child, I’m not mad at you, I’m just disappointed!
This is well into its drinking window—would not hesitate to open another.
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If I was a recognized wine reviewer, I can only think of what a “Perfect Wine” review might mean. Alas, I am not, and as such, it will be those of you that read my words and know of what I speak. Also, understand that “Perfect” is based on my taste buds and knowledge of wine, each of us owing to genetics, how we taste.
What makes this wine so perfect, and more importantly, what wine is it?
As for the latter, the wine is the Favia Cerro Sur Napa Valley Red Wine 2012
Created by the husband-and-wife team, Andy Erickson and Annie Favia, the winery started in 2003 in an area in Coombsville in Napa Valley. It should be noted, but too numerous to mention, each person’s credentials as they relate to whom they worked for prior, but both becoming a force in the wine business today.
What makes this wine so perfect? A blend of 62% Cabernet Franc and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and coming from vineyards situated high in the mountains known as Rancho Chimiles, the vines, now in their mid-thirties, produce wines with a bold aromatic profile which leads you to a wine that is lush, deep, rich and smooth, what more could you ask for? Red fruit, soft tannins, and mouth-coating with an undertone of earthiness but perfectly balanced. Ending in a luxurious and spiced finish. Coming from the excellent 2012 Vintage, the stars aligned to help create this masterpiece.
While the wine received a 97 Point review upon release, and Favia’s La Magdalena (another wine using the same grapes) receiving a 100, the Cerro Sur has transformed into what I still consider to be “That Perfect Wine!”
Saw recent notes and had FOMO on a potential open window. I did not miss out!
On open perfume filled the immediate area, enticing Mrs Geaux to take a whiff. We knew something great await!
Crushed blueberries, mocha, black raspberry with an astringent tannic backbone. Into the decanter for 60 min. That was all it needed on this evening.
Nose of fruity perfume and floral components, milk chocolate, blueberries, hint of pine tar, touch of bubble gum. On the palate tannins have tamed, oak in the background, red cherry, black cherry, black raspberry, faint herbal notes with a nice mineral component on a mediumish finish. Plenty of acid left for this to age considerably longer. Runs circles around my prior bottle (91 pts). The cabs have integrated and are now dancing in unison! Drank better at cellar temp, became sharp above 65F.
If you have only one, let it sleep 2-3 more years. If you have multiples, pop a cork with a bit of air and take her for a spin! This may improve some but it’s damn good now.
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This was an OMG good wine. Really lush and velvety in texture, rich plums and chocolate on the initial nose. Changed quite a bit as we had it open—there was a slight cab franc green note (not bad, just interesting) that faded over time. This is a big wine no doubt but very balanced and the fruit is mature and nuanced with other savory notes. Really loved this and now I need to find some for as soon as I start buying wine again (The cellar is FULL) Thank Mark for sharing!!
Nice at 2 hours of air....fantastic at 3-4. For some reason this blend of 78% cab franc and 22% cab just floats my boat! Really opens up into a beautiful smooth, integrated blend given time. Not quite as regal or elegant as an aged Verite, but pretty damn close, in my book, at one half to one third the price of a LeDesir.
Very good balance of fruit and tannin, great body with a very smooth and full finish. It’s definitely a heavy bold flavor that drank very well and would likely hold up for years to come.
Wow, I mean really, WOW! The score I gave this wine six months ago was too low. This is right on the edge of being a perfect wine. The fullness and redness (is there such a word?) of this wine is spectacular. Pretty amazing for a Napa wine given that it's eight years out from vintage. Only the very best of the best from the Valley are able to achieve this sort of ageability, i.e., eight years out, much better than it was five years ago (it was good then), and absolutely no signs of falling off. Now my problem is we drank three bottles with friends and family, paired up with pounds and pounds of grilled marinated skirt steak, so I only have one bottle left in our cellar. Bummer, but what a nice reason to be bummed. Cheers to Andy and the rest of the team at Favia!
Once again, right up here for WOTN....just a beautiful cab franc/cab blend.Can't believe its taken me this long to find this great estate! Notes same as last bottle.
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Impeccable. This is my very first bottle ever from this producer and what a way to start!.....mid red garnet in the glass, briar/lead pencil nose opens better after 60 min......2 hours of air takes this wine to another level. It is superbly constructed. There is strength to the red berry fruit, there are rounded tannins integrating nicely. The mouthwatering acidity ties it all together with just a bit of orange rind and cedar on the ending. Other than Le Desir from Verite I would have never thought a cab franc dominated wine from CA could be so good. What a gem.....WA's 97 point score is pretty dead bang on. I'm giving it a 96+ tonight....and curious as to what 3-4 more hours of air might do.
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Typical nice Cerro Sur from Favia. The Cabernet Franc shines through in this vintage. The tannins are well balanced. The finish is good but not great, probably the weakest part of this very nice wine. Overall, well balanced and medium bodied for a California Bordeaux blend.
Really excellent red blend from Napa. First time that we had pulled any out of our cellar since we ordered it at a tasting in Chicago with Andy Erickson. He has an amazing way of blending, but of course, he starts with great grapes. For being over seven years out from vintage, it had a remarkably fresh, and fruit-forward bouquet and taste. No rush on the rest of the bottles in our cellar. Thank you, Andy. Cheers!
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Thoroughly enjoyed this blend. Was a bit worried as there was some seepage through a split in the cork that made it's way underneath the foil, but the wine was excellent right out of the bottle. Decanted for 2 hours prior to tasting again, and found similar notes as below, dark ruby, floral nose, chocolate tones. Just as good on day 2.
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Floral notes and light chocolate overtones. Surprisingly tight for a 6 yr old cab franc. I think a 60 minute decant would open it up as second glass better than first
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Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (Purple Cafe, Bellevue, WA): Bold, young and tight with a touch of citrus. 65/35 Cab Franc/ Cab Sauvignon. This softened after an hour in the decanter and was tasty if not complex. My #3 of 6 and tied for the group's WOTN.
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IMW - Cab / Cab Franc Panel Tasting 2018 (Hyatt, San Francisco): Deep ruby color. Muted aromatics - cinnamon-nutmeg almost amaro-level spice (oak?). Some ripe confected black cherry. On the palate, rich and sweet attack, full-bodied, high alcohol (feels 14.5% but holding it well), elevated acidity, and elevated tannins - super chewy and rounded for Cab Franc - seems to be a blend between fruit and oak tannins. Great chewy texture. Long ripe black cherry finish. This is a super elegant and well-integrated expression of a very ripe wine. Not my favorite expression of Cab Franc but undeniably good winemaking.
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MW 2017 SIT DOWN CABERNET FRANC/CABERNET SAUVIGNON TASTING WITH Andy Ericson. Nose of red and black cherry fruit, same on the palate, big body, rich and super ripe black cherry not sweet fruit, almost mouth filling fruit, lovely, rich fruit, one of the top three of the sit down tasting, fairly fruit forward, better in 2 years, long, long, flavorful finish.
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Wish I read csimm's note before I opened. Fully agree with everything he said. This is in a dumb phase. Decanted for 3.5 hrs and drank over 2. Floral and wood notes on the nose, and mocha and milk chocolate on the palate, though not good enough and not showing as it did last summer
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Super tight and linear initially. Took a couple of hours to start to be a quasi-enjoyable drink. Certainly a different style of red, with freshly grilled/seared meat, peppercorn, plum, currant, coal, and some soil. Drank almost like a Cote Rotie Syrah.
The Cabernet Franc seems to dominate here, so much so that rather than compliment the Cabernet Sauvignon, it ends up competing with it. The current flavor profile went from being unique to confusing very quickly. The Cerro Sur has always had a different profile from the much bolder and modern Napa Cabernet from Favia, but this Cerro Sur couldn't quite get into gear this go-around, even after three-four hours of total consumption.
I hate to use the word, "disappointing," but it was indeed a let down. My original note in 2015 recommended holding until 2018, but after this I'm thinking 2019/2020 at minimum. I personally believe this will always be a more austere and somewhat spartan wine. I wish this was more affable and giving, but no such luck. And with the QPR as it is, fuggetabowdit! 88-90 points for me.
I'll hold remaining bottles for a few years in hopes that something miraculous occurs to offer more pleasure. However, I'm not expecting too much going forward. It may become more technically "interesting" over time, but I think it will forever be that weird kid in the back of class whose hair is always messed up and walks with a strange gait around school (but somehow always aces those math tests). Quirky to the point of awkward...Not what I personally want from a wine.
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Opaque. Charcoal, grilled vegetables, redcurrants dipped in sugar and vanilla on the nose. Mouthcoating with more of the same flavours on the palate. True to both the land and varietals. A must.
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For whatever reason not tight or tannic tonight. Improved as the night went on in bottle. Layers of complexity and depth. Chocolate prunes, spearmint, cassis liqueur, extracted blackfruit, and loads of clove. Still some chalky tannins and definately plenty of cool minerality. Only drawback is that it comes off a little heavy and alcoholic leading towards lacking the freshness expected.
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Inky color. The nose throws off a small amount of heat. Dark fruit, cocoa. The wine is young and a little tight, but still drinks very nicely. Dark fruit, a little oak, cocoa, plum. There's a lot going on with this baby. Glad I have more.
Decanted for 3-5 hour and still really astringent. Excellent color witn medium to full texture. Bitter blackfruit, un-integrated sweet oak, and chalky tannins. Will improve 3-4 points come 2019.
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Favia Tasting (Napa): Tasted alongside the 2011 Cerro Sur and 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet. This was my #2 favorite, with the 2012 Napa Cabernet the clear #1 at the moment. My other half preferred the 2011 to the 2012 Cerro Sur, stating the 2011 held a cooler, more mineral-driven profile that seemed to her more interesting.
I found the 2012 Cerro Sur to be fairly accessible, with beautiful, layered flavors of dark red, purple, and black berry notes. A little bit of a red berry zing on the back end. It was a little more medium-bodied when compared to the 2012 Napa Cabernet (which was a powerful wine by comparison). The Cerro Sur seemed to be showing just a tad less complexity at this stage, but only because it was next to the behemoth Napa Cabernet.
A great wine, but needing some time in bottle to sort itself out. Still highly recommended and an impeccably made wine. Try after 2018.
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3/17/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
My last bottle of my 2nd stash of this one, wanted to share one with HMC.....haven't gone into my 3rd stash yet.
Decanted 2+ hours and enjoyed over 3+ more with HMC and Carol. All the notes of my last bottle, maybe just a point less. This one came into balance much earlier on and settled in its 95 point slot quickly before fading a point at the end.
Stewed fruit initially, gone within an hour or two of air and replaced by complexity on the nose and palate. Great cab franc elements (62%) blended with the cab sav (38%). Consistent results within a point or so from bottle to bottle and lot to lot. One of my fav blends in all of Napa.
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3/3/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 97 Points
So.....loved this one so much, I picked up 2 more bottles at auction over the past year. This is the first bottle of the new stash....OMG, it just keeps getting better.
Everything the last note says from nearly a year ago, plus......with 3-4 hours of air, this is dense, deep, structured, juicy, integrated, balanced and powerful. If anything, there is a hint of alc overriding everything, but it's so good, I'm willing to overlook that warm feeling in the back of my throat......a 12 yo wine that reeks of hedonism and power? I love that.........
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12/1/2023 - Rramey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet in color. Bell pepper and spice. straightforward nothing big on the back.
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7/9/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Blew through my original 3 pack of this one back in 2020. Haven't had another until today with gteran76 and his SO.....
Decanted 2+ hours then back into the bottle to take to our fav steakhouse, Chops. Pnp'd at the table to dark garnet color in the glass and a wonderful cab franc dominant nose of perfumed red fruit....the palate notes are pretty much identical to my first bottle from 6/20 except for it now being just a tad more aged/integrated/smooth. In a great drinking window right now but clearly can go for a few more years. No green notes noted to this bottle at all. I guess I've just been lucky with these? Thoroughly enjoyed by all at the table.
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7/8/2023 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is drinking nicely at the age of 11, a bit bricked on the rim from what I thought it to be a little older, like a 2006-2007. Hints of mocha tobacco and berries, with a finish into menthol maybe coming from the Cabernet Franc? I liked this one even though I think is either on its way down or it was over exposed to oxygen. Either way good bottle and great time thanks to Mark and Carol!
92 - Drink up.
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8/25/2022 - Geaux Tigers Does not like this wine: 91 Points
Half the bottle into the decanter and the other half in to a 375 ml. A few early sips, the rest a 30 min decant. Early sips somewhat muted though showing a bit with swirling—cola, black and red raspberry, fresh green herbs. a touch more green pepper.
At 30 min—more green than fruit, with earthy dirt, cedar and tobacco, the cab franc has taken hold. Needs more air, a pairing with venison will not be the cards with this recalcitrant bugger. 60 min showed no improvement.
2 days later, opened other half with a shake decant and drank over 2 hr but took 90 min. more air for the fruit to finally makes its appearance.
This bottle did not show well overall, a big disappointment for me. 92 at its best, 89 for most of the time.
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5/21/2022 - sdonahue Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fabulous with meatballs Opened op after 1 hr decant
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4/4/2022 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 95 Points
See prior notes and evolving beautifully
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9/24/2021 - DrJonS wrote:
Nice floral nose that opened with mocha and black fruit. Decanted it for 45 minutes. A nice cocoa with dark cherry and sweet black raspberry that had oak tannins that were moderate. solid 96 points and could go another 5-7 years.
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5/29/2021 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 92 Points
Into the depths of the Unknown (a/k/a Mostly wines we have yet to taste); 5/27/2021-5/29/2021: Inspired by the great recent notes, I had to take this for another spin.
Popped the cork, shook some air in, and slow ox’d for 4 hrs.
This is a great wine, but this particular bottle did not show as well as I would have liked or as well as prior bottles. Funky and earthy nose, red and black fruit on the palate, but somewhat flat and muted on the finish. Could not pinpoint why this bottle lacked the pizzazz I associate with the Favia cab blends. This was a bottle that I kept wishing would be what it was not. This was like telling your child, I’m not mad at you, I’m just disappointed!
This is well into its drinking window—would not hesitate to open another.
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5/27/2021 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 100 Points
A Perfect Wine
If I was a recognized wine reviewer, I can only think of what a “Perfect Wine” review might mean. Alas, I am not, and as such, it will be those of you that read my words and know of what I speak. Also, understand that “Perfect” is based on my taste buds and knowledge of wine, each of us owing to genetics, how we taste.
What makes this wine so perfect, and more importantly, what wine is it?
As for the latter, the wine is the Favia Cerro Sur Napa Valley Red Wine 2012
Created by the husband-and-wife team, Andy Erickson and Annie Favia, the winery started in 2003 in an area in Coombsville in Napa Valley. It should be noted, but too numerous to mention, each person’s credentials as they relate to whom they worked for prior, but both becoming a force in the wine business today.
What makes this wine so perfect? A blend of 62% Cabernet Franc and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and coming from vineyards situated high in the mountains known as Rancho Chimiles, the vines, now in their mid-thirties, produce wines with a bold aromatic profile which leads you to a wine that is lush, deep, rich and smooth, what more could you ask for? Red fruit, soft tannins, and mouth-coating with an undertone of earthiness but perfectly balanced. Ending in a luxurious and spiced finish. Coming from the excellent 2012 Vintage, the stars aligned to help create this masterpiece.
While the wine received a 97 Point review upon release, and Favia’s La Magdalena (another wine using the same grapes) receiving a 100, the Cerro Sur has transformed into what I still consider to be “That Perfect Wine!”
Cheers
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11/24/2020 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 97 Points
Saw recent notes and had FOMO on a potential open window. I did not miss out!
On open perfume filled the immediate area, enticing Mrs Geaux to take a whiff. We knew something great await!
Crushed blueberries, mocha, black raspberry with an astringent tannic backbone. Into the decanter for 60 min. That was all it needed on this evening.
Nose of fruity perfume and floral components, milk chocolate, blueberries, hint of pine tar, touch of bubble gum. On the palate tannins have tamed, oak in the background, red cherry, black cherry, black raspberry, faint herbal notes with a nice mineral component on a mediumish finish. Plenty of acid left for this to age considerably longer. Runs circles around my prior bottle (91 pts). The cabs have integrated and are now dancing in unison! Drank better at cellar temp, became sharp above 65F.
If you have only one, let it sleep 2-3 more years. If you have multiples, pop a cork with a bit of air and take her for a spin! This may improve some but it’s damn good now.
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11/12/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was an OMG good wine. Really lush and velvety in texture, rich plums and chocolate on the initial nose. Changed quite a bit as we had it open—there was a slight cab franc green note (not bad, just interesting) that faded over time. This is a big wine no doubt but very balanced and the fruit is mature and nuanced with other savory notes. Really loved this and now I need to find some for as soon as I start buying wine again (The cellar is FULL)
Thank Mark for sharing!!
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11/12/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nice at 2 hours of air....fantastic at 3-4. For some reason this blend of 78% cab franc and 22% cab just floats my boat! Really opens up into a beautiful smooth, integrated blend given time. Not quite as regal or elegant as an aged Verite, but pretty damn close, in my book, at one half to one third the price of a LeDesir.
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9/12/2020 - bbq_grandcru wrote: 94 Points
Very good balance of fruit and tannin, great body with a very smooth and full finish. It’s definitely a heavy bold flavor that drank very well and would likely hold up for years to come.
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9/5/2020 - kennyd Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow, I mean really, WOW! The score I gave this wine six months ago was too low. This is right on the edge of being a perfect wine. The fullness and redness (is there such a word?) of this wine is spectacular. Pretty amazing for a Napa wine given that it's eight years out from vintage. Only the very best of the best from the Valley are able to achieve this sort of ageability, i.e., eight years out, much better than it was five years ago (it was good then), and absolutely no signs of falling off. Now my problem is we drank three bottles with friends and family, paired up with pounds and pounds of grilled marinated skirt steak, so I only have one bottle left in our cellar. Bummer, but what a nice reason to be bummed. Cheers to Andy and the rest of the team at Favia!
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8/1/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Once again, right up here for WOTN....just a beautiful cab franc/cab blend.Can't believe its taken me this long to find this great estate! Notes same as last bottle.
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6/25/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Impeccable. This is my very first bottle ever from this producer and what a way to start!.....mid red garnet in the glass, briar/lead pencil nose opens better after 60 min......2 hours of air takes this wine to another level. It is superbly constructed. There is strength to the red berry fruit, there are rounded tannins integrating nicely. The mouthwatering acidity ties it all together with just a bit of orange rind and cedar on the ending. Other than Le Desir from Verite I would have never thought a cab franc dominated wine from CA could be so good. What a gem.....WA's 97 point score is pretty dead bang on. I'm giving it a 96+ tonight....and curious as to what 3-4 more hours of air might do.
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6/17/2020 - fournet wrote: 93 Points
Typical nice Cerro Sur from Favia. The Cabernet Franc shines through in this vintage. The tannins are well balanced. The finish is good but not great, probably the weakest part of this very nice wine. Overall, well balanced and medium bodied for a California Bordeaux blend.
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4/11/2020 - kennyd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really excellent red blend from Napa. First time that we had pulled any out of our cellar since we ordered it at a tasting in Chicago with Andy Erickson. He has an amazing way of blending, but of course, he starts with great grapes. For being over seven years out from vintage, it had a remarkably fresh, and fruit-forward bouquet and taste. No rush on the rest of the bottles in our cellar. Thank you, Andy. Cheers!
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4/28/2019 - dpolzien Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thoroughly enjoyed this blend. Was a bit worried as there was some seepage through a split in the cork that made it's way underneath the foil, but the wine was excellent right out of the bottle.
Decanted for 2 hours prior to tasting again, and found similar notes as below, dark ruby, floral nose, chocolate tones. Just as good on day 2.
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12/15/2018 - Tonythefish wrote: 90 Points
Floral notes and light chocolate overtones. Surprisingly tight for a 6 yr old cab franc. I think a 60 minute decant would open it up as second glass better than first
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6/26/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (Purple Cafe, Bellevue, WA): Bold, young and tight with a touch of citrus. 65/35 Cab Franc/ Cab Sauvignon. This softened after an hour in the decanter and was tasty if not complex. My #3 of 6 and tied for the group's WOTN.
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10/30/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
IMW - Cab / Cab Franc Panel Tasting 2018 (Hyatt, San Francisco): Deep ruby color. Muted aromatics - cinnamon-nutmeg almost amaro-level spice (oak?). Some ripe confected black cherry.
On the palate, rich and sweet attack, full-bodied, high alcohol (feels 14.5% but holding it well), elevated acidity, and elevated tannins - super chewy and rounded for Cab Franc - seems to be a blend between fruit and oak tannins. Great chewy texture. Long ripe black cherry finish. This is a super elegant and well-integrated expression of a very ripe wine. Not my favorite expression of Cab Franc but undeniably good winemaking.
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10/30/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
MW 2017 SIT DOWN CABERNET FRANC/CABERNET SAUVIGNON TASTING WITH Andy Ericson. Nose of red and black cherry fruit, same on the palate, big body, rich and super ripe black cherry not sweet fruit, almost mouth filling fruit, lovely, rich fruit, one of the top three of the sit down tasting, fairly fruit forward, better in 2 years, long, long, flavorful finish.
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6/18/2017 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 91 Points
Wish I read csimm's note before I opened. Fully agree with everything he said. This is in a dumb phase. Decanted for 3.5 hrs and drank over 2. Floral and wood notes on the nose, and mocha and milk chocolate on the palate, though not good enough and not showing as it did last summer
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6/16/2017 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
Super tight and linear initially. Took a couple of hours to start to be a quasi-enjoyable drink. Certainly a different style of red, with freshly grilled/seared meat, peppercorn, plum, currant, coal, and some soil. Drank almost like a Cote Rotie Syrah.
The Cabernet Franc seems to dominate here, so much so that rather than compliment the Cabernet Sauvignon, it ends up competing with it. The current flavor profile went from being unique to confusing very quickly. The Cerro Sur has always had a different profile from the much bolder and modern Napa Cabernet from Favia, but this Cerro Sur couldn't quite get into gear this go-around, even after three-four hours of total consumption.
I hate to use the word, "disappointing," but it was indeed a let down. My original note in 2015 recommended holding until 2018, but after this I'm thinking 2019/2020 at minimum. I personally believe this will always be a more austere and somewhat spartan wine. I wish this was more affable and giving, but no such luck. And with the QPR as it is, fuggetabowdit! 88-90 points for me.
I'll hold remaining bottles for a few years in hopes that something miraculous occurs to offer more pleasure. However, I'm not expecting too much going forward. It may become more technically "interesting" over time, but I think it will forever be that weird kid in the back of class whose hair is always messed up and walks with a strange gait around school (but somehow always aces those math tests). Quirky to the point of awkward...Not what I personally want from a wine.
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11/30/2016 - Teknsteel Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opaque. Charcoal, grilled vegetables, redcurrants dipped in sugar and vanilla on the nose. Mouthcoating with more of the same flavours on the palate. True to both the land and varietals. A must.
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11/14/2016 - HelloHello wrote: 88 Points
Not great. Disappointed for the high price I paid for. I think there are many better California red wines around $20 compare to this one.
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9/5/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 Points
For whatever reason not tight or tannic tonight. Improved as the night went on in bottle. Layers of complexity and depth. Chocolate prunes, spearmint, cassis liqueur, extracted blackfruit, and loads of clove. Still some chalky tannins and definately plenty of cool minerality. Only drawback is that it comes off a little heavy and alcoholic leading towards lacking the freshness expected.
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8/24/2016 - DonWinspear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Inky color. The nose throws off a small amount of heat. Dark fruit, cocoa. The wine is young and a little tight, but still drinks very nicely. Dark fruit, a little oak, cocoa, plum. There's a lot going on with this baby. Glad I have more.
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7/13/2016 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Napa Visit 2016; 7/10/2016-7/13/2016: No formal notes, but delicious. Cabernet showed better on this day.
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7/8/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 3-5 hour and still really astringent. Excellent color witn medium to full texture. Bitter blackfruit, un-integrated sweet oak, and chalky tannins. Will improve 3-4 points come 2019.
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10/16/2015 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Favia Tasting (Napa): Tasted alongside the 2011 Cerro Sur and 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet. This was my #2 favorite, with the 2012 Napa Cabernet the clear #1 at the moment. My other half preferred the 2011 to the 2012 Cerro Sur, stating the 2011 held a cooler, more mineral-driven profile that seemed to her more interesting.
I found the 2012 Cerro Sur to be fairly accessible, with beautiful, layered flavors of dark red, purple, and black berry notes. A little bit of a red berry zing on the back end. It was a little more medium-bodied when compared to the 2012 Napa Cabernet (which was a powerful wine by comparison). The Cerro Sur seemed to be showing just a tad less complexity at this stage, but only because it was next to the behemoth Napa Cabernet.
A great wine, but needing some time in bottle to sort itself out. Still highly recommended and an impeccably made wine. Try after 2018.
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