2023 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

WSI94+ JS97 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. Drink or hold.

WP95 The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep garnet-purple color. It’s a little shy to start off, needing some shaking to wake up scents of black currant jelly, kirsch, and mulberries, plus underlying hints of licorice, dark chocolate, and tar. The full-bodied palate delivers bold black fruit and firm, fine-grained tannins with just enough freshness and an anise-laced finish. Pair with Grilled Steak, Grilled Lamb, Venison, Burger. Drink: 2026–2042

Estate Notes: Elegantly structured and polished, Faust 2023 Napa Valley Cabernet is exquisitely balanced between freshness and richness on the palate. The cool forest notes that lift from the glass meld with oak spice, bay laurel, and fragrant underbrush while the wine’s signature star anise gives way to beautifully concentrated flavors of Luxardo cherry, blueberry compote, and dark cocoa. Fine-grained tannins wrap around a backbone of acidity that persists-with intriguing wet-slate minerality-endlessly on the finish. The generous character of this wine makes it delicious now, but with its tight structure, it will age beautifully.