Robert Parker 94
“From winemaker Andy Erickson, the 2016 Leviathan is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged in 25% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with exuberant black cherries, black raspberries and blackcurrants with hints of pencil shavings, black pepper, tobacco and forest floor plus a waft of tapenade. Full, firm and grainy, with gorgeous mid-palate generosity and packed with layers of black fruit and savory sparks, it has a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long. Approachable now yet structured to cellar, this seriously affordable, serious California blend should age 15-20 years or more.”-RP

“With Leviathan, the goal is simple: to produce one singular red wine each vintage. Drawing on vineyard sources across California, proprietors Annie Favia and Andy Erickson look to create a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot.
“With all of the other projects I work on, for Favia, as well as for my winemaking 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
Leviathan grew out of our work with the vineyards that are the source of the Favia wines produced by Andy Erickson and Annie Favia. In 2004, after creating the blends for Favia, Andy started playing around with various components from nearly all of their vineyard sources—Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Quickly the concept began to take shape: to create one singular wine per vintage, drawn from all four of these varieties, that would highlight the best of California, and take on a character all its own. Since then, we have slowly expanded our vineyard sources, but remained true to the goal of producing a rich, delicious red blend every year.”-Winery Notes