Far Niente Chardonnay 2019
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The 2019 vintage is the 40th Anniversary release of Far Niente Chardonnay.
Classically beautiful, the 2019 vintage opens with aromas of honeysuckle, white peach blossom and citrus zest, along with soft accents of vanilla. Silky stone fruit, lemon curd and honeydew flavors flow across the round, full palate, with lightly toasted oak, cool minerality and a lingering citrus note adding texture and depth. From its alluring perfume and pure fruit flavors to the graceful finish, this elegant Napa Valley Chardonnay captivates the senses.
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Coombsville vineyards protected by the hills east of downtown Napa are home to this Chardonnay. They’re as cool as Carneros but less windy, with deeper soils of gravel and volcanic ash, and their influence on this dignified white shows in its complex persona. A fine balance of stone fruit, acid structure, and zingy citrus creates a tangible yet delicate mouthfeel. Honeysuckle and gardenia offer significant floral tones.
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Wine Enthusiast
Spicy oak and bright acidity complement each other in this well-made white, which shows strong tones of crisp citrus and green apple. It builds body on the midpalate, with integrated woody notes and lasting richness.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 Far Niente Chardonnay packs satisfaction and style on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with its attractive aromas and flavors of ripe fruit and oak. Pair it with grilled halibut in a savory, cream sauce. (Tasted: February 27, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.