The 2020 Far Niente Chardonnay is a vibrant yet richly textured expression of Napa Valley, blending fruit from Coombsville, Carneros, Yountville, and Jameson Canyon. Fermented primarily in French oak (50% new) with a portion in stainless steel to preserve freshness, it opens with aromas of citrus blossom, white fig, and melon. The palate is creamy yet bright, offering layers of pear, pineapple, and honeydew, lifted by crisp acidity and a touch of toasted oak. Elegant and expressive, this Chardonnay is ready to enjoy now but will reward short-term cellaring.

The Wine Advocate | RP 91
Published: Sep 15, 2022
Drink: 2022-2026

Blended from vineyards in Coombsville, Jameson Canyon, Carneros and Yountville, the 2020 Chardonnay Estate is largely fermented in wood, with about 50% new French oak utilized. To retain freshness, about a fifth of the wine went into stainless-steel barrels and malolactic fermentation was blocked. It's a pretty, fruit-driven wine, with notes of apple, pear, melon and pineapple, but also full-bodied, creamy in texture and generous on the mid-palate but bright and vibrant on the finish.

This historic Oakville property's rebirth began in 1979 when it was purchased by Gil Nickel. A scion of the Oklahoma family behind Greenleaf Nursery, Gil died in 2003, but the family continues to own and operate not only Far Niente but also Nickel & Nickel, Dolce, En Route, Bella Union and Post & Beam.

The Far Niente property is worth a visit for its spectacular gardens, Gil's collection of classic sports cars, striking cellars and the wines. The winery focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, offering a couple of tiers of each varietal. Chardonnay comes predominantly from the family's estate vineyards in Coombsville, but it will be augmented by a newly acquired Carneros vineyard. According to winemaker Nicole Marchesi, she's pared back the proportion of new oak in recent years, although, at 50%, it remains an important aspect of Far Niente's signature style.

Far Niente's Napa Valley Cabernet is rooted in Oakville but blends in components from Oak Knoll, Calistoga, St. Helena, Diamond Mountain and Stags Leap, while the Oakville Estate Cabernet is almost all from the Stelling Vineyard, next to the winery. Well-situated in western Oakville, with such illustrious neighbors as Martha's Vineyard and Harlan Estate, the vineyard is undergoing redevelopment with the advice of Thomas Rivers Brown. Row orientation will be changed and canopies redesigned to provide more dappled light.

In the winery, Marchesi gives the grapes a lengthy cold soak (about six days), then works the must hot and hard early in the fermentation before pressing after only about 15 days on skins, although this varies from lot to lot. Some tanks will go to barrel sweet and finish their fermentation there. Barrel aging in French oak varies from 16–20 months, with plenty of new wood (from two-thirds for the Napa Valley Cab to 70% for the Estate) and two intermediate rackings, plus a third prior to bottling.

Given the winery's decent volumes and excellent distribution, these are Napa Valley wines that readers can rely on finding in the market. More importantly, they're consistently excellent, and so they provide a valuable introduction to high-end Napa wines for many consumers.

Farniente.com

A marriage of fruit from our cooler, bay-influenced vineyards in southern Napa Valley, this classically crafted Chardonnay brings fragrant citrus blossom aromatics, rich fruit flavors and a silky finish to every occasion.

Richly aromatic with notes of white fig, and citrus blossom, this captivating Chardonnay slowly builds on the palate, progressing from silky notes of honeydew, nectarine and lemon zest to a full finish supported by elegant, toasted oak. Crisp minerality and juicy acidity lift and support the generous fruit and provide the framework for graceful aging. This wine will continue to gain richness and complexity in the bottle and glass.

Far Niente Chardonnay is a blend of superlative Napa Valley vineyards located in Coombsville, a cool growing region nestled in the rolling countryside and protected by the hills east of the city of Napa. Coombsville offers the characteristic climate of Carneros, with less wind, along with deeper, well-drained gravelly loam and volcanic ash soils. The combination of these spectacular vineyards results in the subtle, tropical flavors, complex aromas and uncommon richness that have long been associated with Far Niente Chardonnay.