10.19 €
Total price 10.19 €
Advent is the perfect time to treat yourself to something exclusive. That's why our winery of the month for December is the iconic California winery Far Niente. Passion for excellence, respect for nature, sustainability and long tradition is the perfect combination to create absolutely exceptional wines.
You may have heard the term Far Niente before. Connoisseurs of Czech literature may recall the lyrical prose of our eminent poet Vítězslav Nezval called Dolce far niente. And art connoisseurs may recall a painting by John William Waterhouse with the same title. What does the Italian "far niente" mean? Doing nothing. We can add the adjective dolce and it becomes Sweet Doing Nothing.
It's hard to say what led the original founder, John Benson, to call the winery Far niente in Italian. He often traveled to Europe on business, perhaps inspired by the sweet Italian siesta that inspired the winery's name. Either way, Far niente accurately reflects the philosophy of one of California's oldest and most prestigious wineries - to enjoy the beauty of life and make wine with the utmost care.
John Benson was one of the first grape growers in Napa Valley. When he established his winery in 1880, he planted 60,000 vine seedlings, made wine and grew Muscat of Alexandria for raisins and table grapes. His devotion to estate winemaking even led him to import cork tree seeds from Europe. Some of them still stand in Far niente today.
Prohibition in the U.S. in 1919 broke the winery's neck, and after John Benson's death, it switched to growing fruit trees. After the end of Prohibition, the Doak family of the neighborhood tried to restore the winery to its former glory, which failed, and the winery was inherited by Martin Stelling Jr., a San Francisco real estate magnate. By 1979, the now abandoned winery remained in the hands of the Stelling family.
In 1979, Gil Nickel discovered the abandoned Far Niente winery and convinced the owner to contact him to revive it. Gil rented a space in Sausalito, where he produced Far Niente's first vintage since Prohibition, the 1979 Chardonnay, and began working with renowned winemakers of the time.
Gil Nickel began investing in upgrading winery infrastructure and vineyards. The winery focused on producing quality wines, especially Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, which became its main varietals.
Nickel's philosophy was that the quality of the wine was directly dependent on the terroir and the grape processing techniques. This strategy proved successful, and Far Niente wines began to win accolades at prestigious competitions and in peer reviews.
In 1980, the builder Alf Bulterson built the first wine cave. The winery set a new standard in Napa Valley for wine storage and aging. For the first time in six decades, production resumed with two unique bottled wines: the 1982 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon and the 1982 Far Niente Chardonnay. The Chardonnay was characterised by its rich texture and freshness. The Cabernet Sauvignon had a distinctive and full flavour profile. This style of wine resonated with American and international consumers, leading to growing recognition in the marketplace.
In the 1990s, a separate Dolce microbrewery was established within Far Niente. Dolce became the only North American winery dedicated to producing a single late harvest wine and earned a reputation as the Château d'Yquem of North America. The meaning of the phrase Dolce Far niente - sweet doing nothing is thus definitely fulfilled.
Gil Nickel, with his son and partners Dirk Hampson and Larry Maguire, produced the first vintage of Nickel & Nickel in 1997, which to this day is dedicated exclusively to producing 100% single-vineyard varietal wines. The first vintage included Merlot, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Between 1995 and 1998, Far Niente completed additional wine caves, winery buildings and built a carved stone wine library with a central fountain inspired by Florence, Italy. The wine library preserves the entire history of the winery, including the 1886 Far Niente vintage.
In 1999, the historic 42-acre Sullenger Farm in Oakville was acquired. Subsequently, in 2001, Far Niente moved its Cabernet Sauvignon production to the Oakville Estate. The plan was made to move the Nickel & Nickel winery to the Sullenger farm. As is customary at Far Niente, emphasis was placed on preserving the historic buildings combined with modern winemaking facilities that blend naturally with the architecture and environment.
During this time, tourism in Napa Valley began to develop rapidly, and Nickel & Nickel became the first Far Niente winery to open to the public in 2003. Gil and his wife, Beth, attended the grand opening, one of the last opportunities for friends and colleagues to say goodbye to Gil Nickel, who died that fall at the age of 64.
A year later, on the 25th anniversary, Far Niente Winery also opened to the public for tours and tastings. The historic building, lush gardens and famous caves still offer guests a glimpse into both the history of Napa Valley and the heritage of one of America's most famous wine estates.
In 2005, Dirk Hampson and Erik Nickel discovered an old apple orchard in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, ideal for Burgundy varieties. They purchased a nearby property, planted vines and created EnRoute, a new brand focused on Pinot Noir.
Five years later, an exceptional vineyard in Rutherford's AVA was leased along with a small winery on Bella Oaks Lane. The historic place name "Bella Union Roadway" inspired the creation of the Bella Union brand, Far Niente's first opportunity in Rutherford, which allowed them to further explore the art of blending in winemaking.
Far Niente Wine Estates purchased a 60-acre vineyard designated primarily for Bella Union after 2015. A portion was set aside for Nickel & Nickel single vineyard wines. Far Niente also reintroduced a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that captures the essence of their premier vineyards throughout Napa Valley.
In 2020, Far Niente Wine Estates introduces Post & Beam Winery, using proven techniques to produce exceptional wines that can be enjoyed immediately upon release.
Far Niente is releasing Benson Vale Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in 2021. Benson Vale pays tribute to visionary pioneer John Benson and Far Niente's unwavering commitment to producing wines that are enduring benchmarks of the best of Napa Valley.
The new Bella Union Winery building in Rutherford opens in September 2024. Building on Far Niente's illustrious 1979 winemaking legacy, the winery joins Far Niente Winery and the iconic Nickel & Nickel Winery as Napa's third physical location and further establishes Far Niente Wine Estates.
Today, Far Niente is synonymous with luxury Napa Valley wines, which are popular not only among experts and connoisseurs, but also among the general public, thanks to their character, quality and unmistakable tradition.
You will have noticed the original labels of Far Niente wines. Do you know who created them? It was Tom Rodrigues, a friend of the stained glass artist who once designed a beautiful window in Gil's house in San Francisco. In 1979, he was asked if he wanted to enter a competition to design a Far Niente wine label. Tom's design was eventually chosen for the inaugural Far Niente Chardonnay in 1979, including his extravagant, hand-drawn font for the Far Niente name. Tom then went on to design all Far Niente Wine Estates labels for four decades.
Far Niente one of the most famous wine estates in Napa Valley. Legendary hillside caves and time-honored traditions at the historic Oakville winery allow it to produce elegant Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons known for their distinctive style. At Far Niente, they strive every day to find the pinnacle of excellence while preserving the winemaking legacy. Taste history with Far Niente's iconic wines! Known for their age and collectible value, Cabernet Sauvignon wines express the distinctive combination of dark fruit, velvety texture and silky tannins that have become synonymous with Far Niente's house style.
The first wine produced by Far Niente since 1981, Napa Valley Chardonnay has become a benchmark for its distinctive style and remarkable consistency. Far Niente Chardonnays are characterized by an appealing combination of elegance, brightness and complexity, ensuring that they are captivating in their youth while aging beautifully. The cool-climate vineyards and French-inspired winemaking create Chardonnays that are juicy and refreshing, yet round and creamy, with layers of vibrant fruit, uplifting acidity and an endless finish.
Cave Collection
The collection includes exclusive aged wines that capture the essence of the winery's 1979 legacy. Each bottle, re-released in limited quantities from historic caves, shows the elegance, depth and complexity that only time can bring. These rare vintages have been carefully aged to perfection and promise an unforgettable experience for those seeking wines that will stand the test of time.
Nickel & Nickel is a prestigious Napa Valley winery that specializes in producing high quality single varietal wines. The winery focuses on exploring the character of each vineyard, with each wine coming from one specific vineyard in Napa Valley. This approach allows us to better capture the specific terroir characteristics of each vineyard.
The winery specializes primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon, but also produces wines from other varietals such as Merlot and Chardonnay. The winery places great emphasis on careful grape selection, traditional production methods and oak barrel aging, which contributes to the rich and complex character of their wines.
Bella Union Winery emphasizes hand harvesting of grapes and the use of modern winemaking technologies to achieve maximum wine quality. Cabernet Sauvignon from Bella Union is prized for its fullness, complexity and distinctive fruit and spice notes.
Today, Bella Union is part of the broader portfolio of Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente wineries, and continues to produce highly rated wines with an emphasis on terroir and traditional production practices. Bella Union focuses on making the best blended wines possible in Napa Valley, creating an intriguing combination of depth, complexity and balance in every pour.
Post & Beam is a Napa Valley winery that focuses on producing quality, affordable and elegant wines, specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Post & Beam focuses on creating wines that are accessible and ready to drink at a younger age, while retaining high quality character and aging ability. The wines have a balanced structure, rich fruit flavours and fine tannins. The winery uses modern winemaking technology and precise production methods, ensuring consistent quality and distinctive character.
EnRoute is a winery in the Russian River Valley region of California, specializing in the production of quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It was founded in 2007 as an offshoot of Far Niente Winery with the goal of producing elegant and highly rated wines from this prestigious appellation.
The winery emphasizes the selection of grapes from high-quality vineyards and traditional production methods, including fermentation in small tanks and aging in oak barrels. EnRoute wines are prized for their finesse, complexity and balance - the Pinot Noir is characterized by rich fruit notes and smooth texture, while the Chardonnay is full-bodied, with a creamy texture and fine acidity.
Dolce is the only proud American winery that specializes in producing one outstanding dessert wine created in the popular Sauternes style, a high-quality sweet wine.
Dolce produces a Late Harvest Chardonnay that features complex aromas of ripe fruit, honey and spice. The wine is full-bodied and rich, with a fine acidity that balances its sweetness and gives it an elegant and long finish. The winery focuses on careful grape selection and a natural fermentation process to create a wine that is opulent yet highly refined. Dolce is popular for its ability to age and gain complexity with age, making it a sought-after wine for special occasions and sweet wine collectors.
Far Niente Winery is a Napa Valley icon combining over 130 years of tradition with modern winemaking techniques to produce world-class wines. From its inception in 1885, through the difficulties of Prohibition, to its rebirth in 1979, Far Niente has established itself as synonymous with quality and precision. With an emphasis on the exceptional terroir of Napa Valley, the production of quality Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and innovative approaches to vinification, the winery has built a strong reputation among both professionals and wine lovers worldwide. Today, under the leadership of the Nickel family, Far Niente continues to produce wines that not only reflect the winery's rich history, but also its ability to constantly innovate and adapt to modern trends. With every vintage and every sip, this demonstrates a commitment to tradition, quality and passion for wine.
14.12.2024
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