Faust by Quintessa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

James Suckling 94
Very attractive aromas of blackcurrants, black olives and dark leather with some cedar. Its full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a refined, polished finish. Shows finesse and focus. Grows on the palate. Really delicious now, but will improve with age. Drink or hold.-JS

Wine Enthusiast 92
Blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this full-bodied, highly expressive red is made from Coombsville estate grapes as well as grapes from sites in Rutherford and Oakville. It presents concentrated, burly black-fruit notes tempered by savory clove, espresso, leather and toasted oak.-92

Wine Spectator 92
Distinctive, with sweet bay leaf, sassafras and a sanguine note all taking the lead, while a core of gently mulled red currant and blackberry fruit follows. Shows a nice herbaceous/brambly energy through the finish. Drink now through 2028.-WS

Wilfred Wong 91
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon deftly combines some of Napa Valley's best AVAs into a wine of excellence. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows beautiful aromas and flavors of red and black fruits along with anise and oak. Enjoy with grilled beef. (Tasted: October 17, 2020, San Francisco, CA)-WW

The core of Faust comes from our Coombsville Estate as well as from our vineyards in Rutherford and Oakville. This wine jumps out of the glass with aromas of fresh black cherry and plum. Layers of savory cherry compote, earth, cedar and graphite are rounded out by a long finish with hints of dark chocolate, balanced acidity and minerality.-Winemaker Notes

At Faust, they seek to express the complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon and the diversity of the Napa Valley by sourcing from our estate vineyards in Coombsville and Rutherford as well as from small lots on Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder and Howell Mountain. The culmination of these exceptional appellations results in a prodigious expression of Cabernet Sauvignon.-Winery Notes

THE GREAT WINES OF THE WORLD consistently express the distinct qualities of the estates from which they come. In Napa, Quintessa is such a wine. To preserve the natural mosaic of the vineyard, each small plot is farmed, harvested and vinified individually so that the nuances of the land shine through. Afterward, the best components are brought together to create a wine of elegance and harmony.

Depending on the vintage, Quintessa may include some or all of the five varietals grown on the property: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carménère. The fruit is harvested early in the morning, then sorted and gravity-fed into oak, stainless steel or concrete tanks and vinified. Once fermentation and maceration are complete, the wine from each plot is aged separately for up to two years in French oak. After the final Quintessa blend is created, the wine is bottled and laid down for yet another year before release.