2023 Far Niente Chardonnay
We're getting in the spirit of Halloween by featuring Far Niente Wine Estates, one of California's oldest wineries and among the famous few "ghost wineries" of Napa Valley. While appropriately spooky, the term “ghost winery” doesn’t actually refer to haunted estates. Prior to Prohibition, enacted in 1920, there were approximately 700 wineries operating in California, many dating back to the 19th century. By the time the act was repealed in 1933, and with the onset of the Great Depression, only about 40 wineries had managed to survive. Those that did had usually done so by producing liturgical wine, others by bootlegging. The rest were abandoned. In other words, they "died." After Prohibition, several were resurrected as wineries again - hence the term "ghost winery."
Since its inception in 1880, Far Niente Wine Estates has owed its enduring success to the dedication and passion of numerous individuals and families who have nurtured its legacy over the years. Founded by John Benson in 1880, Far Niente was revitalized in 1979 by Gil Nickel, whose vision and commitment to excellence laid the foundation for its modern era. This family-owned estate flourished through the collaborative efforts of those who helped elevate the winery's reputation and quality.
The story of Far Niente begins with John Benson, a real estate investor drawn to San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Benson purchased a 216-acre farm in Oakville in 1880, and likely influenced by his travels to Europe, named the ranch Far Niente, Italian for “the sweetness of doing nothing.” Already known as one of Napa Valley’s early grape growers, he planted 60,000 grapevines, making wine and cultivating Muscat of Alexandria for raisins and table grapes. His commitment to estate winemaking led him to bring cork tree seeds from Europe, some of which still stand at Far Niente today! In 1886, the winery became one of Napa Valley’s first gravity-flow wineries, a design that exemplified the ingenuity of the region's early pioneers.
At the end of the 19th century, John Benson lost much of his vineyards to the devastating phylloxera root louse, and after surviving the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he moved permanently to Oakville when his Nob Hill home was destroyed by fire. Benson passed away in 1910, leaving the Far Niente ranch to his nieces, Virginia W. Johnson and Josephine M. Johnson. The estate’s neighbor, David Perry Doak, purchased Far Niente from Josephine. Doak, with plans to build a mansion and elaborate gardens on his adjoining property, shifted the ranch’s focus from grapevines to fruit trees. By 1921, Doak's combined properties, including the famous To Kalon vineyard, boasted one of the largest cherry orchards in California.
When Prohibition ended in 1933, Martin Stelling Jr., a San Francisco real estate magnate, acquired the historic Far Niente property. A true visionary, Stelling dreamed of creating the world's greatest fine wine vineyard centered in Oakville. He purchased the neighboring To Kalon Ranch in 1943 and owned 5,000 acres of the best soils in Napa Valley, though he chose to keep a large portion of his land as preserved habitat. He removed the walnuts, cherries, plums, and other crops from the agricultural plots and replanted grapevines, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon.
After Stelling Jr.’s death in 1950, his wife, Caroline Bishop Stelling, sold portions of the vast vineyard properties, including most of the To Kalon Vineyard, but retained Far Niente for her family. After her death in 1960, the remaining Stelling property, including Far Niente and its western vineyards, was placed in a trust for her children, Douglas and Cara. From there, the winery's next chapter began to unfold and take shape in the early 1970s. Gil Nickel owned an Oklahoma travel agency and helped run the family nursery there. He began traveling extensively, developing a deep appreciation for the food, wine, architecture, and lifestyle of Europe and the West Coast, particularly Northern California. As Gil's interest in winemaking grew, he relocated to California. He began studying winemaking at UC Davis, making his first wine in San Francisco and forming relationships with prestigious wineries in France. In 1979, Gil discovered the abandoned Far Niente Winery and persuaded owner, Doug Stelling, to partner with him to revive it. Gil rented space in Sausalito to produce the first vintage of Far Niente wine since Prohibition. The 1979 Chardonnay was a collaboration with renowned winemakers and helped Far Niente develop their distinctive house style.
That same year, Tom Rodrigues, a stained-glass artist and friend of Gil Nickel, who had designed a beautiful window in Gil’s San Francisco home, was asked if he’d like to enter a competition to design the Far Niente wine label. Tom’s design was chosen for Far Niente’s inaugural 1979 Chardonnay, including his extravagant, hand-drawn font for the Far Niente name. Tom went on to design all of Far Niente Wine Estates’ labels for four decades.
In 1980, builder Alf Burtleson excavated the first modern wine caves at Far Niente. His work set a standard in Napa Valley for wine storage and aging. The restoration included meticulous work by Italian stonemason Gene Domenichelli and landscape architect Jack Chandler, creating a blend of historic preservation and new southern-style gardens. In 1981, Gil Nickel continued to build Far Niente’s legacy by importing Grand Cru Chardonnay cuttings from Burgundy, which became a cornerstone of the winery’s production. These clones continue to create the elegant, notable Chardonnays that Far Niente Wine Estates produces today.
Gil hired Dirk Hampson, an Oregon-raised winemaker whose résumé included Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and a stint with the negociant Labouré-Roi in one of Burgundy’s premier appellations, Nuits-St.-Georges. Gil taught him the Far Niente philosophy of commitment to excellence. Wine production resumed at the historic winery for the first time in six decades with two singular, estate-bottled wines: 1982 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon and 1982 Far Niente Chardonnay. In 1983, Gil hired Larry Maguire to lead sales and marketing and to incorporate more hospitality into the trade. While Gil was guiding the winery’s vision, Dirk was crafting great wines, assisting with design and innovations, and Larry was selling, selling, selling. Larry took on the task of building a brand. He laid the groundwork for distribution across all markets in the United States and internationally. Larry’s efforts to create relationships and build the brand in these early years were a cornerstone of Far Niente's success.
During the late 1980s, Gil, Dirk, and Larry traveled together to France, visiting top estates in Bordeaux and Burgundy. These trips deepened their understanding of consistency and house style, reinforcing Far Niente's philosophy of exceptionalism. They drew inspiration from the power and grace of First Growth Bordeaux wines and the texture and elegance of Grand Cru Burgundies, finding similarities in their young Far Niente wines. A pivotal 1989 trip influenced a change in Far Niente's barrel-aging practices, laying the groundwork for future ventures like EnRoute Pinot Noir.
Eager to build upon Gil’s vision for Far Niente, Dirk made Far Niente’s first late-harvest wine, modeled after the most notable dessert wine in the world, Château d’Yquem. Far Niente’s Dolce was a small-production blend of late-harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc that has been affected by botrytis cinerea, the beneficial fungi essential to crafting the world’s greatest sweet wines. Vintages were bottled in 1985 and 1986. Gil replanted 17 acres of John’s Creek Vineyard in Coombsville from Merlot to Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. By 1991, Dolce was established as a separate micro-winery within Far Niente, complete with a striking label designed by Tom Rodrigues. Dolce became North America's only winery dedicated to producing a single late-harvest wine, earning a reputation as the Château d’Yquem of North America.
In 1989, as Far Niente was in desperate need of an expansion, Gil brought back builder Alf Burtleson to expand their hillside caves. Dirk designed the new caves with intersecting tunnels forming a stunning circular layout, inspired by caves in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Plans included a wine library room, modeled after the Baptistery of Saint John in Florence, to store bottles from every vintage, further enriching the winery’s legacy. After working together for a decade, Gil made Dirk and Larry partners in 1992, continuing a family tradition of shared ownership to maintain Far Niente’s commitment to excellence. The Far Niente partners took the next step in applying their winemaking philosophy of quality, precision, passion, and style to a third wine label. They launched Nickel & Nickel, dedicated to producing 100% varietal, single-vineyard wines, with the first vintage featuring Merlot, Zinfandel, and four Cabernet Sauvignons.
The historic Sullenger farmstead was acquired in 1999. The 42-acre farm featured several buildings dating back to the 1800s, including an 1884 Victorian residence, allowing the Far Niente partners to continue their passion for restoration alongside fine winemaking. The purchase came with a significant risk: there is no approved permit to build a winery. Gil asked his nephew, Erik Nickel, to join the business. Erik relocated to Napa Valley and was appointed as the construction manager for the development of the Nickel & Nickel winery and farmstead.
Dirk had a specific vision for creating a state-of-the-art winery within the Sullenger farmstead, including post-and-beam architecture with a nod to 19th-century California dairy barns. This project included an expansive 30,000-square-foot underground barrel cellar inspired by a Gothic monastery in France that Dirk visited as a child. Due to Far Niente’s reputation for mindful restoration, community collaboration, and craftsmanship, the partners began the process to secure the permit to build Nickel & Nickel Winery. Erik and the team secured use and building permits from Napa County, developed and modified initial designs with countless engineers and architects, hired contractors, and oversaw construction. A powerful and professional home team, including design-build guidance from Dirk and partnership support from Gil and Larry, brought the project to fruition. Focus and care were placed on preserving historic buildings and adding modern winemaking facilities that blended naturally with the architecture and environment. Nickel & Nickel was planned and built as Far Niente’s first winery open to the public, just as tourism was growing in Napa Valley.
While pouring Nickel & Nickel wines at the Sun Valley Wine Festival, Gil learned about The Barn People in Vermont, known for saving and restoring old structures. Gil, Erik, and Dirk flew to the East Coast to meet them and described their vision for an early-period New England barn with hand-hewn posts and beams. Preserving and displaying this level of craftsmanship was essential to the Nickel & Nickel story. Soon, The Barn People discovered an ailing hay barn in New Hampshire that dated back to 1770. It was selected to become part of the beautiful collection of historic buildings at the farmstead. The thorough renovation of the barn was underway. Transported from New Hampshire and rebuilt piece by piece in Oakville by The Barn People, expert engineering was employed to bring the barn up to modern building code while keeping it open and airy inside. The Far Niente partners chose to name the addition The Gleason Barn, a tribute to the barn’s original owner. This approach to preserving history continued the tradition of namesakes such as Stelling Vineyard and Sullenger House. Construction was completed in 2002 on the first Nickel & Nickel underground cellar and north fermentation barn in time for the inaugural harvest at Nickel & Nickel. In December 2003, the 1884 Sullenger House, after a meticulous three-year renovation, opened to the public, preserving its Victorian charm. Nickel & Nickel produces single-vineyard Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Syrah. In 2003, Nickel & Nickel Winery opened to the public, marking the first time a Far Niente Wine Estate was accessible to visitors.
On its 25th anniversary, Far Niente opened to the public for tours and tastings, after hosting only the wine trade for two decades. The historic building, lush gardens, and storied caves offer guests a glimpse into both the history of Napa Valley and the legacy of one of America’s most iconic wine estates.
Dirk and Erik discovered an old apple orchard in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, ideal for Burgundian varieties. They purchased the property, planted grapevines, and created EnRoute, a brand focused on Pinot Noir. The inaugural EnRoute wine, "Les Pommiers," was released in 2007, blending the best vineyard blocks to craft a Pinot Noir inspired by Burgundy's great wines.
In 2010, Far Niente partners leased an exceptional vineyard in Rutherford's AVA, along with a small winery on Bella Oaks Lane. The site’s historical name, "Bella Union Roadway," inspired the creation of the Bella Union brand, Far Niente's first opportunity in Rutherford, allowing them to further explore the artistry of blending in winemaking. Far Niente Wine Estates deepened its commitment to Rutherford by purchasing a 60-acre vineyard primarily for Bella Union, with a portion reserved for Nickel & Nickel’s single-vineyard program. Far Niente also reintroduced a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, capturing the essence of their top vineyards throughout Napa Valley.
Far Niente Wine Estates introduced Post & Beam in 2020, using time-honored techniques to make exceptional wines that can be enjoyed upon release. The company also purchased a 60-acre estate in Rutherford for Bella Union, opening in September of 2024. Building upon Far Niente’s storied winemaking legacy dating back to 1979, the winery joined the historic Far Niente Winery and iconic Nickel & Nickel Winery as the third physical Napa venue, further establishing Far Niente Wine Estates’ deep roots and commanding presence in Napa Valley. Bella Union was also founded on the key principle of continuous improvement and innovation set by Gil Nickel.
With a rich history and commitment to excellence, Far Niente has risen from the “dead” and created a beautiful representation of the passion, expertise, and hard work that goes into each and every glass of wine poured from their varied wineries and vineyards. Celebrate and taste the history of Napa Valley and Far Niente with their iconic Chardonnay. The 2023 vintage was exceptional and boasts a blend of Napa Valley vineyards. The 2023 vintage enchants with a bouquet of citrus, white floral, and hints of honeydew melon and nectarine. Its silky texture and bright, refreshing palate dance with flavors of lemon zest and lemon verbena, culminating in a long, juicy finish that leaves the palate yearning for more.