Faust Winery Napa Valley: Our Faust Haus Experience

Faust is immediately different from the traditional Napa Valley winery experience. Set in a historic house above the valley floor, Faust Haus combines serious Cabernet Sauvignon with contemporary design, dramatic artwork and one of the most memorable tasting settings in Napa Valley.

We came for the wine, but the setting is a major part of the experience. From the outdoor terrace, the view stretches across vineyards and the valley toward the mountains beyond. Inside, dark, stylish rooms create an entirely different atmosphere.

For visitors looking for a Napa tasting that combines wine, scenery and design, Faust deserves a place on the itinerary.

The Faust Haus Experience

Faust is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, but Faust Haus isn't designed to feel like a conventional winery or tasting room.

The historic property has been transformed into a sophisticated, somewhat moody space that fits the personality of the wines. Rather than touring a large production facility, the experience is centered on sitting down, tasting and enjoying the house and surrounding landscape.

Faust Winery Napa Valley: Our Experience at Faust Haus

Private tasting room with long wooden table inside Faust Haus in Napa Valley

Artistic staircase and contemporary wall murals inside Faust Haus in Napa Valley

The contrast between indoors and outdoors is particularly striking. Inside, deep colors, bookshelves, artwork and modern furnishings give the rooms an intimate feel.

Outside, everything opens up.

Enjoying a glass of wine with panoramic Napa Valley views from Faust Haus

The outdoor setting was one of the highlights of our visit.

From the elevated grounds surrounding Faust Haus, you look across vineyards and trees toward the mountains. It's the type of view that makes you want to slow down rather than immediately move on to the next winery.

That's one reason we think Faust works especially well when you have enough time to enjoy the experience rather than squeezing it between several tightly scheduled tastings.

Outdoor wine tasting with mountain views at Faust Haus in Napa Valley

The Wines at Faust

Faust built its reputation around Cabernet Sauvignon, but exploring beyond the flagship wine can make a tasting here particularly interesting.

The portfolio provides an opportunity to move beyond a single expression of Napa Cabernet and explore smaller-production and site-driven wines.

During our visit, two of the most memorable bottles were The Lure and The Hour, both from Coombsville.

The Lure and The Hour Coombsville Napa Valley wines at Faust

Faust Cabernet Sauvignon, The Hour, The Lure and The Pact wines displayed at Faust Haus

Coombsville sits in the southeastern part of Napa Valley and has a somewhat different identity from famous Cabernet areas farther north such as Oakville and Rutherford.

For us, tasting wines like these is part of what makes visiting Napa so interesting. A tasting becomes more than simply deciding which bottle you like best—it gives you the opportunity to compare wines from different parts of the valley and begin recognizing how those places can produce different expressions.

Who Should Visit Faust?

We would especially recommend Faust to travelers who want more than a traditional tasting room.

It's a particularly good choice if you enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon, contemporary design and wineries with memorable scenery. It also works well for couples or groups looking for a relaxed seated tasting where the surroundings are nearly as important as the wines.

If your Napa itinerary already includes historic estates such as Far Niente or wineries focused heavily on vineyard comparisons such as Nickel & Nickel, Faust provides a useful contrast.

Far Niente
Nickel & Nickel

Faust vs. a Traditional Napa Winery

Faust isn't the winery we'd choose if your main goal is touring caves, seeing winemaking equipment or learning about the production process from grape to bottle.

That's not really the point.

The appeal is the combination of wine + house + design + view.

That also makes Faust a particularly good addition to a Napa itinerary containing more traditional winery experiences. Instead of visiting three estates that begin to feel similar, Faust changes the pace.

Our Take

What stayed with us most about Faust was how well everything worked together.

The wines are serious, but the experience doesn't feel overly formal. The interiors are dramatic without becoming theatrical, while the outdoor areas take advantage of an exceptional Napa Valley setting.

And then there's the view.

Outdoor terrace and Napa Valley views at Faust Haus in St. Helena

For travelers who appreciate wine as part of a broader travel experience, Faust is one of the more distinctive winery visits in Napa Valley.

It's especially easy to recommend if you've already experienced some of Napa's classic estates and want something that feels noticeably different.

Plan Your Visit

Location: St. Helena, Napa Valley
Best for: Cabernet Sauvignon, contemporary design, scenic views
Experience: Seated tasting at Faust Haus
Reservations: Recommended
Allow: Approximately 90 minutes
Good to combine with: Other St. Helena and Rutherford-area wineries