After tasting these new vintages, we're pleased to report that once again, both Leviathan 2021 and L'Aventure Optimus 2021 remain the two unequivocal BEST Cab blends for the money in America.
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No stranger to critical acclaim! The previous vintage was Rank #18 on Jeb Dunnuck's Top 100 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Under $100
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L'Aventure has been unstoppable with recent strings of well deserved 95 to 100-point scores as the true bastion of Paso fine wine: |
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Dear Artisans,
The 2021s are the best we've tasted from these two perennial winners—AND we're offering them at their SAME prices as the past several vintages!!! Talk about anti-inflation and tax relief, just for you!
If you're a fan of California cult wines, then you're probably familiar with the name Andy Erickson, who followed Heidi Peterson Barrett as winemaker at Screaming Eagle and has gone on to start or consult on a series of successful 100-point scoring wines, including Harlan, Dalla Valle, Favia, Ovid, Dancing Hares, Arietta, Staglin, Hartwell and Jonata.
Impressive resume right? Well, you know the saying: behind every great man, there is a great woman -- and that woman is Andy's wife Annie Favia, who is a legend in her own right. Annie was David Abreu's protege and as viticulturist farmed the grapes for Screaming Eagle and Abreu wines, as well as many of her husband's labels. But aside from being instrumental in these legendary wines, she has her OWN equally majestic label: Favia Wines (Husband Andy Erickson is the winemaker). These are micro-production wines (300 cases or less) that garner massive scores, and customers tell us they've been waiting for years to get on the Favia mailing list.
So this is where Leviathan comes in. It's hard to describe this as simply a "second wine" of Favia, because the quality is so high and the production level so low (under 1,000 cases). Andy and Annie take full advantage of their existing relationships with vineyards throughout California.
"With all of the other projects I work on, for Favia, as well as for my wine-making clients, the focus is always on producing single vineyard, site-specific wines. With Leviathan I have complete latitude to create something unique from many different parts. It is like a brain-teaser, and very fun and exciting. California is rich and diverse in terms of grape-growing regions, and I love working to create something that reflects the best that California has to offer."
- Andy Erickson, Winemaker
The Leviathan wine is a red blend created afresh each vintage, sourced from some of the most coveted vineyards in California. Each year, a percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc are blended together to produce a singular wine, showcasing all the best characteristics of the vintage.
And make no mistake; the Leviathan is no one-hit-wonder. This wine has sold out incredibly fast every year since the first 2006 vintage.
Cheers!
—James Tran
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2021 Leviathan Cab Blend
Coombsville, Moon Mountain, Red Hills
94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Always a good value, the 2021 California Red Wine is no exception and has darker berry fruits, some leafy herb, sage, lavender, and chocolate nuances, full-bodied richness, and a lush, round, seamless style that's already impossible to resist. This is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (with plenty of other red varieties), and it should shine for 7-8 years, if not a decade, although I would drink this puppy in its youth." (Dec 2023)
93 Points - Vinous:
"The 2021 Leviathan is fabulous. In fact, the 2021 is one of the best editions of Leviathan I can remember tasting. The purity of the flavors is just remarkable. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather and licorice are all dialed up. Shortening the time in barrel from 18-20 months to 14 makes a huge difference in how the wine captures fruit intensity and finesse. Few winemakers know Napa Valley as well as Andy Erickson does. All of that expertise comes through in a gorgeous wine that over-delivers on all counts." Drink 2023-2030
93 Points - James Suckling:
"Blueberries, black berries, and flowers. Some stone. Spearmint and fresh bay leaves. Medium to full body with layers of juicy tannins that are rounded and textured. Creamy and caressing. 65% cabernet sauvignon with cabernet franc, petite sirah, petit verdot and merlot. Lovely to drink now." (Jan 2024)
- 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc
- Moon Mountain (Rancho Salina Vineyard), Red Hills (Obsidian Ridge Vineyard), Coombsville (Faust Vineyard)
- Aged in 100% French Oak for 15 months, 25% new
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Winery Price: $40.00
Bounty Hunter: $40.00
Average Online: $38.00
Wine.com: $36.99
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2021 L'Aventure Estate "Optimus"
Willow Creek District, Paso Robles
95 Points - Robert Parker's WA:
"The 2021 Optimus is an elegant, polished blend of 55% Syrah, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Petit Verdot. It takes plenty of air to reveal maraschino cherry, blueberry, leather, aniseed, gravel dust and garrigue aromas. The full-bodied palate offers expansive, spicy fruit framed by powdery tannins and focused acidity, and it has a long, latent finish. It will benefit from 3-5 years in bottle." - Erin Brooks (Dec 2023)
95 Points - James Suckling:
"Ripe blackberries, cassis and plum skins with blood orange, anisette and wet stones on offer. Full-bodied with compact, refined tannins and velvety texture. Generous and plentiful with a deep core of black fruit and a spiced, chocolatey finish. Really well made. A blend of 55% Syrah, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Petit Verdot. Drink or hold." (Sep 2023)
93+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Moving to the 2021s from bottle and starting with the 2021 Optimus (55% Syrah, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Petit Verdot), it sports a deeper plum/purple hue as well as rocking notes of blackberries, peppery herbs, candied violets, and subtle meaty, savory nuances. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a round, layered, silky texture and outstanding length. It’s going to shine for 5-7 years, if not longer." (Aug 2023)
93 Points - Decanter:
"This flagship blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot was Stephan Asseo’s raison d’être to leave France and make wine in the US. Blueberry compote on the nose, which evolves into dark and brooding fruit on the palate. The fruit is ripe yet precise, a signature of Paso. Tannins are prevalent in this full-bodied wine but will soften and integrate with age." (Aug 2023)
- 55% Syrah, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot
- 100% Estate grown fruit from L’Aventure Vineyard
- Aged in new and used French Oak for 14 months
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Wine.com: $79.99
Average Online: $71.00
K&L: $69.99
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Get in touch!
Text → 650-880-3553
Call → 650-917-8080
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