By Facets
2023 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Details
Appellation: Napa Valley
Winemaker: Julien Fayard

Vineyards
Sourced primarily from renowned vineyards in Yountville, this wine captures the elegance and depth of Napa Valley's historic heart. Fruit from the cool-climate Coombsville AVA brings vibrant acidity and lift, while a small, family-owned vineyard in warmer Calistoga contributes structure and richness. The result is a beautifully balanced, expressive wine that reflects the nuance of its diverse origins.

Winemaking
We carefully select fruit from sustainably farmed, hand-harvested vineyards. After a cold maceration period, the grapes undergo wild yeast fermentation for 3 to 4 weeks before being gently pressed into barrels for malolactic fermentation, ensuring a seamless integration of fruit and oak. The wine then matures for approximately 20 months in 70% new French oak, sourced from an elite selection of coopers. Bottled unfiltered and unrefined, preserving its purity and depth.

Tasting Notes
A brilliant ruby hue opens to crushed blackcurrants, ripe black cherry jam, cappuccino, dark cocoa, and tobacco leaf. The palate is lush and impeccably balanced, with silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and a seamless integration of fruit and spice. A long, elegant finish lingers with hints of dark chocolate and toasted oak.

Pairing
Steak frites
[Information provided by Merchant23]

Wine: Facets, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA 2023
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window: 2026 - 2036
Review Date: 03/17/2026
Reviewed By: Jonathan Cristaldi
Tasting Notes: The Gemstone estate vineyard spans 6.5ha (16 acres) on the western benches of Yountville. Facets, however, is Gemstone’s non-estate wine, crafted by winemaker Julien Fayard, who took the helm in 2021, from carefully selected vineyards [...]. The 2023 shows beautifully savoury aromatics, with a palate that is slightly more plush than the previous vintage, yet firmly framed by crisp acidity and structured tannins with a lovely sense of roundness. Together, these elements create a fresh, full-flavoured core of cassis, leather and tobacco, layered with blackberry and spiced plum fruit, cocoa powder nuances and a subtle wild herb character. [...].

Wine: Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2023
Score/Rating: 93
Review Date: 02/16/2026
Reviewed By: Ryan Montgomery
Tasting Notes: Fruit-driven aromas of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, wet river stones, spice and earth. The palate is lush and rounded with fine-boned tannins and a fruit-driven mouthfeel. Structured and dark-fruited with plenty of polish [...]. Drink or hold.