2020 Favia Coombsville

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is very hard to taste. Compact and aggressive, the 2020 offers only limited depth. That’s a shame, because the aromatics and fruit are very pretty. Raspberry jam, sweet spice, pomegranate and toasted French oak open in the glass. Texturally, though, the 2020 is searingly austere. In a way, the Coombsville Cabernet is a very typical wine for the year; some elements are quite attractive, but the growing season has imposed a pretty low ceiling on what was possible, even with the best of intentions and considerable work. The onset of fires resulted in this wine being picked two weeks earlier than normal, and there is no way to compensate for that.

- Antonio Galloni (10/2022)

Ripe and plush, with a broad wave of mulberry, loganberry and plum reduction notes, layered with melted licorice and blackberry ganache and backed by hints of hibiscus and violet. Shows solid structure underneath, with a cast iron feel providing nice contrast to the fleshy fruit. 

- J.M. (2023)

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville reveals a bit more sage and redder fruit than the 2018 or 2019, backed by cassis notes. No, it's not as dense or concentrated as the previous two vintages, but it's still a solid effort that doesn't appear—at least to this taster—to show any smoke taint. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and fine, with some tea-like notes on the lingering finish.

- Joe Czerwinski (03/2023)