2022 Faust - Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley DBL MAG (3L)

Faust is produced by the Huneeus family, the same team behind the acclaimed Quintessa estate in Rutherford, with Agustin Huneeus creating the label to capture the seductive, larger than life character he associated with Napa Valley Cabernet. The winery sits along the Silverado Trail just south of St. Helena, and the project draws on Michel Rolland as consulting winemaker, whose guidance has helped shape the label's consistent, expressive style. The name itself nods to Goethe's classic tale, framing the wine as an ongoing pursuit of pleasure and depth vintage after vintage.

The 2022 is built primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon grown at the estate's Coombsville vineyard, one of Napa's coolest sub-appellations, rounded out with small, hand selected lots from Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, and Howell Mountain. The blend leans heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon, filled out with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Grapes were hand picked and double sorted before a cold soak and fermentation split between French oak and stainless steel, followed by twenty months of aging in French oak, a quarter of it new, giving the wine its structure without overwhelming the fruit.

The glass opens with blackcurrant, blueberry, and black raspberry, joined by pencil shavings and a savory hint of black olive. The palate is full bodied and layered, with grainy, well integrated tannins carrying dark fruit through to a long, mineral tinged finish with a touch of iron. It pairs naturally with grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or a rich lamb ragu.