Wine Country: America

Wine Subregion: California

Wine Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Regular Price $65.00, Ours is $52.99 with shipping included on 6 bottles or more

The farming and winemaking at Faust has always been a little against the grain.  Planted back in 1998 in ultra-cool (temperature-wise) Coombsville, it was a spot considered by most to be far too chilly (often 10 degrees cooler than, say, Yountville) to reliably ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, and many worried back in the day that, with the preferred style of Napa Cab headed towards the riper and more voluptuous in, Faust would be left (so to speak) in the cold.  But, with organically-famed vines sitting on soils composed of the volcanic gravel and loam that Cabernet loves, it was worth the gamble.  And to say it’s paid off would be an understatement, as Faust is now considered one of the top names in Napa Valley Cab available as witnessed by its routinely high ratings and, in this 2021 vintage, recognition as the #4 Wne of the Year as determined by the Wine Spectator.  The secret of the success of this cuvee is, I think, that the cool, slightly herbal side of the winery’s organically farmed Coombsville Cabernet fruit is filled out by some estate fruit from warmer spots further up the valley that adds richness, mid-palate silkiness and complexity to its cooler, more Bordelaise core mulberry, bramble and sage aromatics and brittler tannins.  However it’s constructed, the Faust Napa Valley Cab has not only become one of Napa’s highest-regarded wines, but also one of its best values.  At around $50, it has all the bells and whistles (20% new French oak, 20 months in barrel, etc.) for around half of what similar wines retail for these days.  By the way, thanks to its ranking this year, it’s suddenly become very hard to get!  We have 10 cases in the store today but that doesn’t mean we’ll have it after…..

Wine Spectator: ***No. 4 in the Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2024*** This 2021 bottling is sourced primarily from the estate’s Coombsville vineyard, located in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley. From a cool, late-ripening spot, Coombsville fruit is often blended with riper, more forward, up-valley fruit in order to add spine and definition to Napa Cabernets, and this is a prime example. Faust’s Coombsville site, certified organic in ’21, accounts for about half of the blend, along with fruit from Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and other AVAs. In a category known for triple-digit prices, this is an emphatic answer to the Napa Cabernet value search. Packed and broad in feel, with a ganache note draped over blackcurrant, blackberry and steeped cherry. Licorice root and alder smoke flavors check in on the finish as the fruit pumps through, ending with a flash of violet. Hard to resist now, but this has some development ahead. 94 points