Faust Haus is the latest winery from the Huneeus portfolio, known for their excellent Quintessa and Flowers Wines. Faust has been around since 2002, originally as a spin-off from Quintessa and specializing as a single annual release, but over time the portfolio of wines has developed considerably. Today, in addition to the signature Faust Cabernet Sauvignon, they produce The Pact and The Lure, both of which are also Cabernet Sauvignon, and The Hour which is a Red Blend. In 2019 Faust also produced their first ever Sauvignon Blanc.
The Faust winery is located on the 128 just North of St. Helena and sits on a hill with commanding view of the Napa Valley. Originally built in 1878, the house and property were acquired by Agustin and Valeria Huneeus in 2016 and extensively renovated as the new home for Faust wines that for many years had been produced at Quintessa.
The wines are named after the legend of Faust, a work by the German poet Goethe about the erudite and highly successful Dr. Faust who, dissatisfied with his life, makes a pact with the devil to exchange his soul for worldly pleasures. Under the direction of San Francisco based architect Aidlin Darling, the house and property have been redesigned to reflect the story of Dr. Faust and the stylistic elements of the design and architecture cleverly reflect the transition from darkness to light.
The property is set on 4 acres, one of which is under vine with Cabernet Sauvignon in front of the building. The house itself sits up on the hill and looks slightly imposing in a dark grey color. The basement has a very cool bar and entertainment room in the stone cellar. Legend has it that the space was once used as a speakeasy in the prohibition era and it has been redesigned to reflect a similar modern day feel. The main floor atmospherically integrates dark grey walls with these fantastic pops of electric blue on the outside seat and chairs and feels very artistic, with a study and a large library and entertaining room. Then as you go up through the house to the top floor you emerge into a very contemporary large room which is all white with great lighting and modern styled furnishings as well as spectacular spiral feature in the roof, that reflects the final ascent from darkness to light.
The outside space has also been completely redesigned to incorporate a range of seating areas with superb views over the Napa Valley and shaded patio area in the back as you walk through to a beautiful stone building, which is used for the wine making.
The Faust wines are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, and the intent has been to highlight wines that reflect the individual terroir of specific vineyard locations, which is a consistent theme of Agustin and Valeria Huneeus. The primary vineyard for Faust is located on 100 acres in Coombsville, just East of Napa town, and is a slightly cooler part of the valley. The site is mainly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, but also includes smaller parcels of Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc. Faust also sources from the main Huneeus properties in Rutherford and several other vineyards throughout the valley.
The primary Faust wines are the signature Faust and the Pact, which embody two different expressions. Faust is focused on the relentless exploration and pursuit of the best Napa has to offer sourcing the fruit from different locations. The Pact is a pure expression of the Coombsville estate, specifically showcasing what makes the Coombsville region so special.
The Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark purple color and primarily uses fruit from the Coombsville Estate, complemented by grapes from other hillside and cooler regions of the valley, including Atlas Peek, Mount Veeder and Howell Mountain. This combination delivers a richness and intensity with juicy blue and black notes. Dark chocolate mixed with dried herbs that seduce the palate, with lighting acidity and soft tannins that lead to a layered and lingering finish.
The Pact is referred to by the winery as a pure expression of the Coombsville Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Coombsville is the newest AVA in the Valley and it’s southern location benefits from the marine breezes coming off the nearby San Pablo Bay. This results in a long and cool growing season due and the extended ripening period results in blue and black fruit, with pronounced acidity and a silky texture. The wine exhibits a fresh aromas of black cherries, blackcurrant and blue fruits with graphite, star anise and cocoa powder notes rounding the finish.
The Lure is also a Cabernet Sauvignon, and showcases fruit sourced from mountainside as well as other respected vineyard sites and regions in the Napa Valley. This is a big and bold Cabernet and according to Winemaker David Jelinek “The Lure” jumps from the glass with intense black currant, blueberry, black tea and cedar. It is a wine both savory and luscious, with pleasurable structure and character. Its tannins seamlessly show the power of mountain fruit with a long, complex finish.”
The Hour is a blend of Merlot, Malbec and Syrah, which are less prevalent in the Napa Valley. According to Winemaker David Jelinek The Hour “is like a homemade pie of black cherries, blueberries and plum spriced with cardamom, cocoa nibs” and “offers balance of firm and powerful structure that entice the senses. Round tannins lead to an extraordinary and memorable finish.”
Sauvignon Blanc – the first thing you notice about the wonderful 2019 Sauvignon Blanc is that it actually has no name and no label. With a small production from the Coombsville vineyard, the Sauvignon Blanc is a light straw color, it is well balanced and crisp with a slight sweetness and light floral notes. Wine maker David Jelinek references key lime and crème brule in his tasting notes. I am not a big Sauvignon Blanc fan, but thoroughly enjoyed this wine.
In addition to the fabulous wines, if you are visiting don’t forget to ask for the Faust Black Box, which has some wonderful light bites prepared in the on-site kitchen to accompany and bring out the best in the wines.
The onsite hospitality team at Faust are superb they have just the right balance of friendliness, informality and impeccable service to make the experience relaxed, enjoyable and memorable.
“God help us – for art is long and life is short” – Goethe.
For more information visit the Faust Webpage
Photographs courtesy of Faust and by James Henderson
