Faust Cabernet Sauvignon — Napa Valley 2023
Faust is one of Napa Valley’s most compelling Cabernet estates — a project rooted in the belief that great wine speaks distinctly of place. Named for the legendary scholar who pursued knowledge and excellence above all else, Faust channels that same relentless ambition into every vintage. The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 20 months in 25% new French oak — a restrained approach that preserves the purity and minerality of the fruit rather than masking it with wood. The 2023 vintage was a cool year in Napa, and Faust is a cool-climate estate: the combination produced a wine of real nerve, structure, and approachability, with ample aging potential. As Estate Director Jen Beloz puts it: “There is purity, intensity, and a savory minerality to every vintage.”
The color is a deep, concentrated ruby. The nose is refined and expressive: red and dark fruit, crushed stones, dried herbs, flowers, and a whisper of salt-cured meat — a savory complexity that sets Faust apart from the valley’s more opulent styles. On the palate, it is tightly woven with a silken mouthfeel — earthy red and black fruits, leafy underbrush, tobacco, and chocolate, framed by fine tannins, balanced structure, and a succulent, minerally finish of outstanding length. Medium to full-bodied, structured, and built to age.
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023
James Suckling — 96 Points
“Aromas of red and dark fruit, crushed stones, dried herbs, flowers and salt-cured meat. The palate is tightly woven with a silken mouthfeel, fine tannins and a succulent, minerally finish. A wine of real nerve and approachability young, with ample aging potential. A good example of what a cool vintage in a cool appellation can produce.”
Jeb Dunnuck — 91 Points
“Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 20 months in 25% new French oak, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is solid, offering earthy red and black fruits intermixed with leafy underbrush, tobacco, and chocolate. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a balanced mouthfeel, and shows the more structured style of the vintage with outstanding length.”
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Producer: Faust, Napa Valley, California
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Vintage: 2023
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Appellation: Napa Valley
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Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
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Aging: 20 months in 25% new French oak
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Style: Precise, mineral-driven, structured Napa Cabernet
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Size: 750ml
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Tasting Notes: Red and dark fruit, crushed stones, dried herbs, salt-cured meat, tobacco, chocolate, minerally finish
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Drink Window: Now–2035+
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Best Paired With: Braised short ribs, roast lamb, duck confit, wild mushroom dishes, aged hard cheeses
Napa Cabernet with purity, nerve, and a savory soul — Faust 2023 is the antidote to over-extracted California Cab.
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