About Far Niente Winery
Far Niente is one of Napa's classic estate experiences, combining an historic stone winery, hillside caves, landscaped grounds and an Oakville setting with a tasting program built around Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The property feels deliberately removed from the pace of Highway 29, making it a strong choice for travelers who want the estate itself to be part of the reason for the reservation. The current menu gives visitors several distinct ways to experience the winery. The Legacy Tour & Tasting includes a guided estate and cave tour followed by Chardonnay and Cabernet with cheese, while the private outdoor tasting beneath the cork trees offers a more relaxed introduction. A higher-tier Cave Collection experience moves into rare library wines and food pairings. These are meaningfully different visits, so it is worth choosing by interest rather than simply by price.
Far Niente is open daily by appointment from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1350 Acacia Drive in Oakville. The winery is explicit that all tastings involve some walking and stairs, and guests who need assistance should contact the team ahead of time. Children, guests under 21 and pets are not accommodated. Those policies make it especially important to disclose everyone in the party when booking.
For a first visit, the historic winery and caves are a major part of the appeal. Ask how the Oakville estate has evolved and how the house style differs between Chardonnay and Cabernet. Return visitors may find more value in the library or outdoor formats, where the pace and wine selection shift. Far Niente works best as an anchor appointment rather than a quick add-on. Leave enough time to enjoy the grounds before moving on, and resist stacking another reservation too tightly around it. The estate rewards a slower Napa day-exactly the spirit suggested by its famous "dolce far niente" idea.
John Benson's 1885 Oakville winery, abandoned for 60 years before Gil Nickel's 1979 restoration.
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A gold rush pedigree,founder John Benson was a California '49er and the uncle of celebrated American painter Winslow Homer, an unusual artistic connection for a 19th-century winery.
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Restored after 60 years of ruin,Gil Nickel rebuilt the abandoned stone winery and its hand-carved caves over three years, pressing the first Far Niente harvest in six decades in 1982.
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A family of estates, not just one winery,the same team behind Far Niente also created single-vineyard specialist Nickel & Nickel next door, the dessert wine label Dolce, and, more recently, Bella Union in Rutherford.
"Far Niente Winery is best understood as Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, historic caves, and formal gardens."
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Featured Wines
Current Releases
Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from Far Niente Winery, please check the winery's official website or contact the tasting room directly. Oakville producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
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Garden & Cave Estate Tasting
A guided appointment through Far Niente's immaculate rose gardens and underground barrel caves followed by a seated tasting of estate Chardonnay and Reserve Cabernet, Napa Valley's most beautiful estate experience.
$75
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