Winemaker Notes
The core of Faust comes from our Coombsville Estate as well as from our vineyards in Rutherford and Oakville. This wine jumps out of the glass with aromas of fresh black cherry and plum. Layers of savory cherry compote, earth, cedar and graphite are rounded out by a long finish with hints of dark chocolate, balanced acidity and minerality.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very attractive aromas of blackcurrants, black olives and dark leather with some cedar. It’s full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a refined, polished finish. Shows finesse and focus. Grows on the palate. Really delicious now, but will improve with age. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this full-bodied, highly expressive red is made from Coombsville estate grapes as well as grapes from sites in Rutherford and Oakville. It presents concentrated, burly black-fruit notes tempered by savory clove, espresso, leather and toasted oak.
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Wine Spectator
Distinctive, with sweet bay leaf, sassafras and a sanguine note all taking the lead, while a core of gently mulled red currant and blackberry fruit follows. Shows a nice herbaceous/brambly energy through the finish. Drink now through 2028.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Wonderfully charming, medium-bodied, and balanced, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking well today. Red and black fruits, spice, dried flowers, and some leafy herb notes come together in a polished, balanced, layered package. Coming from 50% Coombsville estate fruit with the rest from Oakville and Rutherford (and some purchased fruit), it's based on 83% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc and was aged 18 months in French oak.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon deftly combines some of Napa Valley's best AVAs into a wine of excellence. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows beautiful aromas and flavors of red and black fruits along with anise and oak. Enjoy with grilled beef. (Tasted: October 17, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.