Well first of all this is an Andy Erickson wine. I am not a Napa insider but AFAIK, he is a stand up guy and has made wine for the best of Napa - his resume is pretty amazing. Moreover, he and his wife’s eponymous winery Favia makes some really good wine. My note on the 2013 is "Bouquet explodes with dark fruits filling the air. Follows through and opens up over 30 minutes. Dark fruits, creme de cassis, dark chocolate and a beautiful long finish of ripe tannin that lingers. Extraordinary. Drink or Hold.
I will say this wine is similar in character and got plenty of accolades from the critics. It was a bit muted on the nose but there was rich luscious dark fruits on the palate, decent acidity, and a long polished finish with fine lingering tannins. Totally in balance - I drank it two nights ago and last night my wife asked if we had any more of that - it was really good (that is saying something - she is not one to give lots of accolades for even much more expensive wines.)
Of course in keeping with the To-kalon thread - for Tim Mondavi I will just add that this wine is not from Nairobi. Although in fairness to Tim, the recent ruling did validate what he said years ago - To Kalon, which really should be a place, at the end of the day is just a trademark - sort of. But you would never know it from the labeling on this bottle. “The Legendary To Kalon Vineyard.”
Anyhow, I think wine competes well with any number of To Kalon bottlings. And if it ain’t your type of hype that’s all good too.
