Favia, Cerro Sur, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2007

This is a husband-wife partnership of Napa stars. Andy Erickson has Dalla Valle, Staglin and Screaming Eagle on his winemaking resumé, and Annie Favia’s 11-year stint with vineyard guru David Abreu has made her one of the area’s top viticulturists. When left to their own preferences, they craft blends like Cerro Sur, a mix of mostly 35-year-old Cabernet Franc from Rancho Chimiles in eastern Napa, with some Cabernet Sauvignon from the cooler Coombsville area. A spicy note of Mexican chocolate mixes with deep blue fruit and a high-toned profile.