Annie Favia – Viticulturist My Dad grew up in Manhattan and raised our family in Connecticut on a small farm with horses, cows, chickens, lambs, dogs, cats, my five brothers and sisters and me. My mother took the role of avid gardener, meticulously tending a massive vegetable garden and a small orchard - resulting in a basement full of canned goods. As descendents of Italians from Bari in Puglia, (also Bohemia, Vienna, and Alsace!), the culture surrounding food and wine were part of our genetic make-up, right down to the weekends of sausage making and the carboys of my dad's "home wine" lining the basement walls - made from crated grapes shipped from the San Joaquin Valley. Living and studying in France during college reinforced my path, my love of food and wine. So when I graduated in 1993, I began my wine career at Newton Vineyard, working under John Kongsgaard. If you have met John, you will understand that I could not have asked for a better person to expose me to the art and science of winemaking. He taught me patience and introduced me to Cabernet Franc; a love affair that continues to this day. I went on to work with Cathy Corison, who made me see that women truly can do anything, even singlehandedly lift heavy oak barrels. It is just a matter of willpower and ingenuity - a mindset I still carry with me. Cathy purchased a vineyard property, and that was when the skies parted. I had found my place: in the vineyard. I went back to school for post-baccalaureate work in viticulture, to gain the knowledge of understanding the aspect of winemaking that truly inspired me. Then, I met David Abreu on Cathy's crush pad, ironically while he was delivering Cabernet Franc. I began working for David Abreu Vineyard Management in 1998. For the next 11 years, I worked closely with him and his incredible crew to direct vineyard establishment and development for some of the most highly regarded vineyard sites in the Napa Valley. Andy and I began Favia Wines in 2003, and as of 2009, it garners my full focus. Our philosophy involves working with each carefully chosen vineyard site, learning how to achieve natural, balanced and unique expression of the fruit. Although we pay strict attention to detail, and we understand that we can control our cultural practices and always strive to improve them, Mother Nature reigns supreme. We must be in balance with the order of nature. Trying to fight it is futile; improving on it is an exciting and fun challenge!