Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is a Napa Valley red wine blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc at 14.9% ABV in a 750ml bottle. It earned 92 points from James Suckling and 90 points from both Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck, underscoring its consistent quality across major critics.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.9%  |  Origin: Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2022  |  Producer: Faust (Huneeus Family / Quintessa)

Production & Heritage

Faust is produced by the Huneeus family, the same stewards behind the acclaimed Quintessa estate in Rutherford. The 2022 vintage draws its core fruit from the estate vineyard in Coombsville — one of Napa Valley's coolest sub-appellations — supplemented by small, hand-selected lots from Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, and Howell Mountain. Grapes were hand-picked, double-sorted, cold-soaked, and fermented in a combination of French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks before aging 20 months in French oak, 25% of which was new. This measured use of new oak preserves fruit purity while building structural complexity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Violets and fresh black cherry lead, followed by toasted baking spice, pencil shavings, and dried herbs. Deeper layers of slate and cedar emerge with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is generous with concentrated, ripe black cherry and plum, quickly joined by savory cherry compote and star anise at mid-palate. Fine, chalky tannins frame the fruit without overwhelming it, while graphite and earthy minerality add a grounding complexity. The body is medium to full, with a juicy quality that keeps the wine lively rather than heavy.

Finish: Mouthwatering acidity carries dark chocolate, cedar, and mineral notes into a lingering, moderately long close. The interplay of fruit and minerality remains in balance well after the last sip.

How to Drink Faust 2022

This Cabernet drinks well at cellar temperature (60–65°F) with 30 minutes of decanting to open up the aromatic layers. It is a natural choice for drinking neat alongside a meal, though its balanced acidity and medium tannin structure make it versatile. A Classic Cabernet Sangria benefits from the wine's ripe black cherry and plum core. A New York Sour gains depth from its dark fruit and spice profile. And a simple Kalimotxo — red wine and cola over ice — becomes surprisingly sophisticated when built on a wine with this kind of structure and fruit concentration.

Best For

• A weeknight steakhouse-quality dinner at home with grilled red meats
• Introducing a curious drinker to serious Napa Valley Cabernet without sticker shock
• Building a small cellar — the 2022 has enough structure for 5–8 years of development
• Gifting a wine lover who appreciates Napa Cab but wants something beyond the usual suspects

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Faust 2022 taste like? It delivers concentrated black cherry, plum, and star anise framed by chalky tannins, with undercurrents of cedar, graphite, and dark chocolate. The overall impression is fruit-forward but grounded by cool-climate minerality from its Coombsville vineyard core.

How does Faust 2022 compare to Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon? Both are fruit-forward Napa Valley Cabernets, but Faust tends toward greater acidity and mineral complexity thanks to its Coombsville sourcing, while Caymus leans into richer, riper, more overtly sweet fruit. Faust also incorporates a higher percentage of blending grapes — 14% Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc — which adds herbal nuance that Caymus's 100% Cabernet bottlings typically lack.

Is Faust 2022 good for sipping neat? Yes — its balanced tannins, mouthwatering acidity, and layered aromatics make it an engaging wine to drink on its own, especially after a brief decant.

Where is Faust made? Faust is produced by the Huneeus family in Napa Valley, California, with estate fruit from Coombsville and additional lots sourced from the Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, Howell Mountain, and Rutherford sub-appellations.

What foods pair well with Faust 2022? Grilled ribeye steak matches the wine's tannin structure and savory depth. Braised short ribs echo its dark fruit and earthy undertones. Hard aged cheeses like Gruyère or Manchego complement the cedar and spice notes. Roasted lamb with rosemary plays off the herbal complexity, and dark chocolate desserts mirror the finish.

What sizes does Faust 2022 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle; a 1.5L magnum format is also produced in limited quantities.

Is Faust 2022 worth the price? Faust positions itself as a mid-tier Napa Valley Cabernet that consistently over-delivers on depth and complexity relative to its price point. Multiple critics have noted that its texture and layering rival wines at significantly higher price tiers, making it a strong value within the Napa Cabernet category.

Why Faust 2022?

The defining advantage of Faust lies in its Coombsville backbone — a cool, wind-swept sub-appellation that preserves natural acidity and drives the mineral thread running through every vintage. While many Napa Cabernets in this range lean on extraction and new oak to deliver impact, Faust uses just 25% new French oak over 20 months, allowing site character and varietal expression to lead. The Huneeus family's parallel work at Quintessa brings estate-level winemaking discipline to a more accessible bottle. The 2022 vintage, with its 92-point James Suckling score and broad critical approval, represents one of the more complete recent expressions — fruit-rich, structurally sound, and genuinely complex.