B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
“A very strong, if not truly exceptional vintage for Napa Valley”
Jeb Dunnuck
A benchmark Napa Cab from a “classic vintage in the making” according to James Suckling, there’s much to like about the powerful and luxurious 95 pt. 2021 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon, its layers of fresh, juicy dark fruit well balanced by bright, vibrant acidity with a long and complex finish, continuing the legacy of Quintessa founder Agustin Huneeus Sr. as one of Coombsville’s pioneering vintners and a top value among Napa Cabs that’s ready to enjoy over the next decade.
Painted in somber black and topped with an ominous, gothic style steeple, the striking 1870’s Victorian mansion called the Faust Haus is located 25 miles north of Coombsville near St. Helena on a hillside overlooking the lush valley floor, its modern decorator-designed tasting rooms and expansive outdoor verandas reflecting the signature luxurious style of the Faust Cabernet Sauvignon. Renowned as the CEO who transformed Concha y Toro into a global brand before becoming a leader in the California wine industry, longtime vintner Agustin Huneeus recognized the potential of the lesser known Coombsville long before it became an AVA and purchased the 113-acre Lewis Dairy Farm east of the town of Napa in 1998 to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Faust now one of the appellation’s oldest vineyards and joined over the last two decades by some of the Napa’s top winemakers including Andy Erickson and Paul Hobbs. Located in one of Napa’s coolest subzones with temperatures nearly 10 degrees lower than most of the region, the 128-acre hillside Faust vineyard is planted in well-draining rocky, volcanic soils influenced by fog and marine breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay, the extended growing season allowing the grapes to develop complex flavors while preserving acidity. Sourced from a low yielding vintage that produced smaller concentrated grapes, winemaker David Jelinek blended mostly Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coombsville estate along with smaller lots from mountain and valley terroirs throughout Napa and aged the 2021 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon for 20 months in 25% new French oak, yielding a deliciously smooth Cab that’s already drinking beautifully and built for years of enjoyment.
From the legendary founder of Quintessa and a pioneer of Napa’s Coombsville AVA, the rich and satisfying 95 pt. 2021 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon offers a harmonious balance of luscious ripe fruit and tantalizing acidity from a superb vintage, an affordable luxury for Napa Cab fans seeking an outstanding value that promises pleasurable drinking for years to come. |