2018 Faustini Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation Atlas Peak 750 ml

Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak AVA is a haven for elite Cabernet producers—Screaming Eagle Alum Heidi Barrett’s Au Sommet and Kongsgaard’s stunning Atlas Peak bottles run $250 minimum—and Faustini has crafted a bargain bottle from this collector-favorite terroir.

Made by an Opus One–trained winemaker who made his name in charge of Clos du Val’s fabled Reserve Cabernet, Faustini’s 2018 Elevation Cabernet has absolutely blossomed in the years since it was harvested from a near-perfect vintage. It’s a library release par excellence, with layers of tannins melting into contented middle-age and a hefty dose of beautiful mountain fruit. 

There are few places in Napa where it is harder or more expensive to tend vines than the rugged slopes of Atlas Peak. Volcanic eruptions gave the soil its character and reddish hue. Volcanic rocks are porous, making the land well-draining but low in fertility, which means the vines are stressed and forced to struggle. That, in turn, limits yields, resulting in the singular intensity of these wines, each note perfectly articulated.

High elevations mean more direct sunlight, leading to deep, rich pigments and power. Drastic temperature changes and bruising winds make ripening slow, creating incredible complexity, with harvest often coming weeks after the valley floor. While scaring off gentlemen farmers, these high-altitude, volcanic soils have bewitched mavericks like 100 point-winemaker and Screaming Eagle alum Heidi Barrett and “The Judge” legend John Kongsgaard, who bought his property on the slopes back in 2004. 

Anthony Faustini’s winemaker is none other than Kian Tavakoli, who honed his Cabernet toolkit over four years at Opus One. Then he masterminded Clos du Val’s iconic reserve bottling for the better part of a decade. His experience shows here.