Andy Erickson

Shortly after arriving in Napa Valley in 1994, I met Annie, and we connected through a shared passion for where we lived, what we did, and what we could do. We loved (and continue to love) growing things, creating, building, cooking, fermenting, preserving, and of course the results of all that activity. Growing grapes and making wine has become the center of our daily work lives, and it has brought us to many incredible places and helped us forge great and meaningful friendships. With our wine business, what started literally as a garage project has bloomed into something sustainable, and we have attracted a small but formidable team, strengthening our ability to grow and improve. Still, I am happy that it still feels like a family business, just with a growing family.

As a winemaker, my goal is to highlight the character of each of the unique vineyard sites with which I work, whether at my clients’ estate vineyards, or the vineyards that produce our own Favia wines. A summer in France during university, and many subsequent trips to winegrowing regions in Europe, have fueled my enthusiasm for the concept of terroir, and wines made from special places. While I am fortunate to travel and work with wineries in other parts of the world, I feel incredibly lucky to call Napa Valley my home, and I am constantly marveled by the diversity of soils and microclimates in this small but diverse valley.

Annie Favia

Raised on a small bustling farm in Connecticut, Annie’s early exposure to an agrarian lifestyle shaped her love of agriculture and nature. Her mother, an avid gardener and father, a sausage and winemaking-“garagiste” set a precedent of a household of nature for their six children.

Studying abroad in France during college reinforced her passion for wine. Following graduation she began her wine career at Newton Vineyards under the tutelage of John Kongsgaard. A master at his craft, John taught the intricacies of winemaking, the symbiotic relationship between art and science. It was also John who introduced Annie to Cabernet Franc – a love for which continues to this day. She went on to work with Cathy Corison, a model of willpower and ingenuity, who set a precedent for women in the wine industry. It was during her time with Cathy that Annie truly found her place, in the vineyard.

Having returned to school for a post-baccalaureate in Viticulture, Annie then began working as viticulturist for David Abreu Vineyard Management. Over her tenure for the next ten plus years, she worked to direct vineyard establishment and development for several of Napa Valley’s most highly regarded vineyards sites. In 2009, she turned her full focus toward Favia Wines and the subsequent restoration of the winery.

At the forefront of all vineyard decisions is her philosophy that balance falls within the order of nature. Working carefully with each chosen vineyard site is an exercise in learning how to achieve a natural, balanced, and unique expression of the fruit. Though always paying strict attention to detail, ultimately Mother Nature reigns supreme. As first experienced in her formative years, Annie continues to find her deepest sense of self while elbow deep in dirt, whether growing winegrapes, vegetables, or herbal teas for ERDA.

Jessica – Winemaker

Jessica is a true renaissance woman. From her childhood growing up in Louisiana to college years spent in Italy before finally landing in California, she is by all accounts interested and interesting. As our Winemaker she orchestrates the marriage of disciplines — biology, chemistry, botany, geology, geography — seamlessly into their poetic and inexhaustible union of wine. With her multi-faceted cultural upbringing and formal training in enology, Jessica can perform the complicated calculations, but can also see the kaleidoscopes of nuance and attention to detail for which we strive. An honest and reliable sounding board, her palate is tuned into the subtle balance we try to illuminate in our wines.

Ella – Director of Operations

Ella began her career in wine with her move to Napa in 2010. Born into a family of farmers and grape growers, her formative years included much discourse and debate around agriculture. Following her studies and travels abroad she arrived in Napa intending to visit family whilst planning her next adventure… ten years later in what seems an inevitable calling, she is happily tackling her biggest undertaking yet at Favia. Apart from overseeing operations at the winery, she enjoys traipsing around the Bay Area in her free time.