Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Drink now or cellar for up to 15 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. FAUST is the creation of the Chilean-born winemaker Agustin Huneeus who is best known in Napa for founding the well-known Quintessa winery in Rutherford. Together with his wife, Valeria, who is a microbiologist, he started FAUST to showcase the charm of Cabernet Sauvignon from different terroirs across the Napa Valley. Their core vineyard is a 110-acre site located in Coombsville which is planted with mature Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and was first purchased by the Huneeus family in 1998. These grapes are blended with Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from cooler hillside sites in Napa to craft a beautiful expression of the region’s most celebrated grape variety. The Cabernet is blended with a small amount of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc to add a touch of verve and extra complexity, with the wine matured in French oak barrels before bottling and released. FAUST has a cult following in the US thanks to the luscious dark fruit flavours which are nicely complemented by a generous full body, firm tannins and a very long, structured finish. Notes of cassis, blackberry and wild plum characterise the nose while the palate offers hints of violets, leather, dark chocolate and campfire smoke which linger on the tongue. It’s recommended to decant this powerful wine an hour or so before serving to allow it to open up fully.

Price: £76.49 from 8wines UK