5 Best Far Niente Chardonnay Wines To Buy in 2024
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places - the Far Niente winery is truly one of its kind.
Renowned for its Napa Valley Chardonnay, Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, and Napa Valley Cab, this winery’s rich history dates back to the 19th century!
While a barrel-fermented Chardonnay may seem like no big deal today, it was considered radical and dangerous when it came out 40 years ago.
Let’s get to know more about the stunning Far Niente Chardonnay wines and look at how the winery’s past defines its presence in the California wine industry.
Further reading
- Learn more about White Wine and all the best bottles you can add to your collection!
- Why not explore some more Wineries In The Iconic Napa Valley?
Far Niente Chardonnay: Winemaking, Tasting Notes, and Food Pairings
Resident winemaker, Nicole Marchesi, talks about the importance of the winery’s house style. This house style allows the winery to produce different vintages with a thread of similarity tying them together.
A decided absence of malolactic fermentation lets the Chardonnay age gracefully and retain its natural acidity, giving it an uncommon richness for a Napa Chard.
Fruit-forward in their youth with a smoother, creamier palate as they age have allowed Far Niente to produce elegant wines year after year.
Aged in classic French oak barrels, these oaky Chards pair beautifully with garlic and rosemary roasted chicken or pan-seared Halibut.
Let’s look at some of these Far Niente wines and how this house style has shown up throughout the years.
5 Delectable Far Niente Chardonnay Wine Bottles To Buy Now
Listed below are our top picks for Far Niente Chardonnays:
- 2000 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay
- 2001 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay
- 2005 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay
- 2018 Far Niente Cave Collection Chardonnay
- 2019 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay
1. 2000 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay ($203)
Classically structured and reminiscent of the Chardonnays from Burgundy, the 2000 vintage features rich flavors of melon, fig, and peach with a refreshing minerality.
With its spicy oak notes, this white wine will keep you warm in the cold months.
2. 2001 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay ($335)
Ideal for fans of Chablis wine, the 2001 Chard offers complex aromas of honeysuckle, green apple, pears, and citrus peel.
The palate mirrors the nose with a strong earthiness that’ll keep you coming back for more!
3. 2005 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay ($161)
A blend of the superlative Napa Valley vineyards, the 2005 vintage opens with notes of fig, melon, hazelnuts, and toasted almonds.
The wine opens up to tropical fruit notes on the palate, giving way to a long finish.
4. 2018 Far Niente Cave Collection Chardonnay ($80)
Aged for an additional two years, this exquisite California Chardonnay offers aromas of bright melon, citrus blossom, and hints of gardenia.
Baking spice and toasted vanilla notes provide supportive warmth to this perfectly structured wine.
5. 2019 Far Niente Winery Estate Chardonnay ($64)
Far Niente created this Chardonnay wine to celebrate the 40th-anniversary of the winery. This gorgeous white wine opens up with delicate aromas of white peach blossom, honeysuckle, and citrus zest.
Building on the palate of stone fruit and honeydew melon - this Napa Valley wine is intoxicating in all the best ways!
The history of this legendary winery is as fascinating as its wines - let’s take a look.
A Quick Look Into The 40 Years of Far Niente
The story begins in 1885 when John Benson - a 49er from the California Gold Rush - hired the famed architect Hamden McIntyre of the Culinary Institute of America.
Together, they created a gravity flow winery in western Oakville and named it "Far Niente" after the Italian phrase "il dolce far niente," meaning "the sweetness of doing nothing."
The winery was prosperous until Prohibition closed its gates in 1919.
In 1979, Gil Nickel, with his wife, Beth Nickel, purchased the winery and an adjacent vineyard. They worked tirelessly for three years to restore it to its former glory and put it back on the map.
In 1982, with the assistance of Dirk Hampson (Chairman and Director of Winemaking Emeritus), the winery started to produce wines again. Before this, Far Niente Chardonnay was produced at a warehouse in Sausalito.
In 1998, Far Niente saw a merging of its past and present when a Far Niente Sweet Muscat bottle from 1886 was discovered in a private collection in Marin County. With the original capsule, cork, and label, it's considered to be the oldest intact Californian wine bottle in existence.
The label on the Muscat features a sepia-tone drawing of a hammock overflowing with grape clusters. It's believed that Benson's nephew, artist Winslow Homer, designed this label, but historians can't provide authentication as it's an unsigned label.
However, an expert on Winslow Homer, Eric Rudd, explained that Homer often provided his friends and family with his work for commercial use. This includes his cousin, Virginia Johnson, who inherited the winery from her uncle, Benson, in the 1990s.
The label in use today is designed by artist Tom Rodrigues, who also designed labels for each of the Far Niente's sister winery houses:
- Dolce: Only winery in North America producing a single, late harvest wine
- Nickel & Nickel: Produces single-vineyard, 100% varietal wines
- EnRoute: Focused on Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley
- Bella Union: Dedicated to Napa Cab
- Post & Beam: Focused on youthful Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
Far Niente has stood the test of time as one of the world's greatest wine-producing estates with a vision of excellence, vineyard ownership, and sustainability.
Ready to own one of these fine bottles of Chardonnay?
A Rich Chardonnay Makes The Day Better!
Producing only two wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the Far Niente winery is committed to excellence.
As delicious as the Far Niente Chardonnays are, if you’re interested in investing in a vintage French Chardonnay, take a look at Vinovest.
As a world-class online wine investment company, Vinovest can help you invest in fine wines and exclusive vintages from upcoming wine regions and historical places from all over the world!
