Farniente Reviews

Beautiful park-like grounds, exotic car collection on display, and luxurious wines. Be sure to make reservations, there's a gate and you will not get in without prior notice!

Worst of the vineyards we went to. Absolute worst wine and their claim to fame is an okay desert wine at best! Then they charged my card for all these random charges that I had to dispute. Trust me, save your time and money. Nothing special to see at all!

Beautiful grounds and incredible wine. Don't miss it.

Very stingy winery.not blaming the reservation based policy but not even allowed standing on outside of their property enjoying the natural view.(on Acacia Dr.) That's a very generous attitude to all visitors....DO NOT GO!!!! if you have kids, they do not welcome family based group!!!!!

The winery and grounds are sprawling and beautiful. You'll wish you lived here once you come for a visit. I planned my winery visits well in advance by phone and had no issues what so ever. Wineries such Far Niente are definitely in high demand when it comes to tastings. Probably not a place you can just walk into during peak seasons and hope to take a tour/tasting. All the wines of course are outstanding and the estate guide will seat you at a big dining room like table as you enjoy your wine and cheese pairings. Naturally most everyone comes to Napa for the Cabernets, but Far Niente makes the most awesome dessert wine called "Dolce" (And I don't usually like dessert wines.) It is truly liquid gold. The estate host will pair it with a bleu cheese which will create a taste bud explosion on your palate! Also give your self extra time to roam around a bit..worth every minute. As a bonus, there is also a great car collection you will see on the tour!

Amazing winery with some wonderful staff! Took a lot of precautions during the reopening due to COVID-19! Hand sanitizing stations all over and tasting groups sat very far from one another! The wine was amazing and the winery grounds are gorgeous!

A fully booked winery. It is a bit expensive, but the red wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is not widely distributed in Japan, is excellent \ (^ o ^) /

I was not able to do tasting and winery tour by double booking for reservation on this day, but I negotiated and put in, bought some Cabernet Sauvignon while letting me taste a little.

The atmosphere is also very good winery

Great winery to visit and be a member. Strongly recommend it.

LOVE this winery! Rory is amazing. I highly recommend visiting.

The one star review is not for their wine (which is delicious), but rather for their hospitality.

I came here over Memorial Day with my young family (3.5 and 6yo). They turned us away from the property and refused to take us on our scheduled wine tour as they require a min age of 21 to be on their property. We re from the Bay Area and frequent Napa often. Never had I been turned away for having children on premise. Not a fan of non-family friendly wineries which are aplenty.

Excellent Wine and the tour was amazing. Lots of history!

Great staff. Very informative. Loved the tour and wine tasting. My favorite was the Dolce 2012.

During my visit in Napa, this was by far the best tasting wine. Our tasting happened to be with a wine club member and they gave us an extra tasting, which happened to be my favorite one. The grounds are indescribably beautiful. The cellars are fascinating and exquisite. Can t wait to go back!

Absolutely stunning in every way. The experience was phenomenal. Reed, Jess, Cynthia were par excellence.

Grounds are spectacular. Cannot believe this all happened from 1979. Thanks John, great tour.

Enjoyed our tour with Jess Black. He was very nice and knowledgeable. The winery itself is beautiful and full of hisotry. Left the winery with a few bottles of . Hope to visit them again in the future.

We had such an amazing time at this winery! It was my favorite spot in Napa! Thanks to our amazing host Scott Cook!

Wine is delicious and the staff is friendly. Also pulling up to a story-book setting sets this place apart. Definitely a stop in Napa.

Wonderful tour, beautiful grounds, cars were fun, the upper level tasting room was beautiful! Wine and cheese paring was devine.

We made reservations to visit Far Niente Winery today. It's actually the 3rd time that I've done the tour and tasting. If you are visiting Napa, Far Niente is a great value for the price. If you are a wine club member. It's free! Their main building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds are nicely landscaped and very scenic. Our tour guide was very interesting and informative. We were taken through the caves and saw all the oak barrels of wine aging. The basics of wine making was explained and we saw many stainless steel tanks. The best part is the tasting with cheese pairings. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cab, Dolce, All Fabulous. Of course we made a purchase. Visit the owner's car collection while there. Some real classics. Reservations are needed and groups are small. Highly recommended !

Beautiful winery with spectacular views of the amazing gardens! We booked an appointment and took the tour and tasting. The facilities are beautiful and the wines were delightful. The host/guide was knowledgeable and informative but was a little stiff in the presentation and sounded a bit like a tape recorder. Make sure to book your tour and tasting beforehand for this must-see winery.

Absolutely the best property, facility and wine in the napa valley that I have experienced! I would HIGHLY recommend it for any and every one!

My favorite Napa vineyard. I could guzzle the Dolce all day!

My partner and I visited this winery on July 17, 2013. The view was spectacular and the grounds were absolutely beautiful. We were welcomed professionally and our tour guide was well informed about all aspects of the winery. We tasted two Chardonnays and two Cabernets plus their desert wine. It was, however, expensive for the splash in each glass and the 3 bites of cheese.

Picture perfect setting!!! A must see winery in Napa Valley!

Enjoying our favorite chard on a transatlantic cruise aboard the Celebrity Eclipse.

Gorgeous property, friendly staff, delicious wine! Highly recommend!

We had an amazing experience from beginning to end. Donna was the first person to greet us. She helped us make the reservations and was extremely warm upon our arrival.

Vincent was our tour guide. Charming. Knowledgable. A great guide and a perfect experience for my first visit to Napa.

A group of girls and I really enjoyed our tour/tasting experience with Shane! He was so friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. Property was gorgeous. Highly recommended!

Awsome Winery and great production staff. Gracias amigos. I'll be back!

The wine and the vineyard where amazing! Scott was a great host!

Awesome winery to visit- beautiful and full of history but not overwhelming like some Napa wineries. Our tour guide and sommelier, Chris R., made the experience much better thanks to his knowledge of the industry. Good wine and definitely a great place to stop for a relaxing tasting.

One of our faves. Fine wines with stunning views of Napa Valley and magnificent gardens.

Beautiful property, wine and service. Alyssa was awesome taking care of us!

Of all the Napa Valley Wineries that I ve been to Chappellet, Castello Di Amorosa, Beringer, CADE, Del Dotto, Robert Mondavi, V.Sattui, Sterling, Hall St. Helena, Domaine, Black Stallion, just to name some Far Niente is the most magical, and has, in my opinion, some of the best wines in the valley. I recently went on a trip to Napa Valley with four friends, and this winery was the favorite of everyone in the group. It was the only winery that we literally wanted to live at, and every single one of us ended up purchasing wine here (which I can t say for any other winery on our trip).

When we pulled up to Far Niente, we already knew it was something special. We rang a call box to announce our arrival and the beautiful front gates swept open. As we drove up the tree-lined driveway we were met with beautiful flora from all over the country and world. The owner s brother apparently runs a large landscaping business, and the immaculate grounds were meticulously maintained. We were so enthralled by the grounds, in fact, that we actually ended up being late to our tour despite showing up 15 minutes early. We couldn t stop exploring and the photo opportunities couldn t be passed up. As we finally approached the winery we stared up in awe at the beautiful French country-style mansion. The building, built in the 1800s, forms the centerpiece of the winery, and is alone worth the trip.

As we walked up to the building we were met by Reed Gomes, an incredible tour guide who provided plenty of laughs and kept us fascinated the entire time. Our entire visit we never felt like Reed was trying to sell us anything or even impress us. It simply felt as if he was sharing his home with us, opening its doors and making us feel welcome. I don t want to ruin the tour before you get a chance to visit, but suffice it to say that from the barrel room, to the cave cellars, to the magnificent lake, we loved every minute of it. The tasting that followed was equally impressive, and for the first time we found ourselves liking almost everything we tried. The 2014 cabernet, the 2015 chardonnay, the 2015 Pinot from one of their other wineries, Enroute all were incredible.



If you want to visit a beautiful winery with beautiful grounds, go to Far Niente. If you want an outstanding winery tour with a friendly and knowledgeable guide, go to Far Niente. And if you want some of the very best wines in all of Napa Valley, go to Far Niente. Far Niente comes from an Italian phrase that means without a care, and I think it s because after one trip here you won t care about visiting other wineries.

A quintessential winery tour. Awesome view, good wines, good tour guide, and not completely full of themselves. Car collection was a nice twist too. Maybe a little too expensive for the tour though considering most in Sonoma are free.

Facilities are wonderful. They have gotten a little arrogant.

My wife, Judy, and an out of town friend, Joyce, visited Far Niente yesterday afternoon for a wine tasting. We had an outstanding time - our hostess, Jessica Sambuco, was a gracious, knowledgeable and friendly host. She made the day. As members of your wine club, it was one of the best tours we've had at Far Niente, starting with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (this is new) outside in the garden and then moving inside to the caves for the Cab. Our friend said it was the best wine tasting she has ever been to. Thanks to Jessica and the rest of the Far Niente staff for a wonderful experience.

Best regards,

Paul

Pretty vineyard, lovely pairing of cheese and wine.

Hands down the most beautiful place I visited. Gorgeous grounds! My husband and I enjoyed the estate tasting. Our guide was super knowledgeable and funny. The cheese pairings were on point and as always, their wine was out of this world. It was also nice to be able to taste a variety of price points (wines from their sister companies). I was a little nervous coming into this one since their wines are so pricey, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it felt relaxed and welcoming. My only complaint (and this is minor) is that they work on a super tight schedule so once your time is up, you are asked to leave your table. I understand given that it's a business, but I wish there was a way to enjoy a pour or glass in the outdoor area. We will definitely come back! Hoping to visit around the holidays!

Real pretty place.
Great wine and nice staff.

Far Niente is gorgeous winery with intimate tours away from the crowds. Lisa was our private tour guide on a sunny afternoon and she was fantastic.

Far Niente Estate: The winery was built in 1845 by John Benson, shut down in 1919 due to prohibition and then purchased and restored by Gil Nickel in 1979 so there's some amazing history at the estate. You can feel the elegant history of the winery as soon as you enter. The surrounding gardens greet you immediately, are beautiful and well kept. The storage caves seemed to go on for eternity lined with wine barrels. They were fascinating to see and explore through. The gigantic private garage housed the impressive car collection of the estate. There were so many visuals throughout the tour for endless social media moments.

I went with the 2016 EnRoute Pinoit Noir as my souvenir back to Las Vegas. Far Niente is a definite must visit during your Napa visits and I hope you're lucky enough to have Lisa as your guide. Cheers

This winery is not to be missed - a perfect experience all around.
The historic grounds were immaculately groomed, and the building and cave tour was second to none. Our tour guide, Jess Black, was incredible - easily the most knowledgeable guide we interacted with in Napa.
Oh , and then there is the wine - if you have a passion for discovering the best a wine can be , look no further than Far Niente.

The grounds are beautiful! Although I wish we walked more of the grounds, the tour was fun and informative. You learn a lot about the history of the company, which I find interesting. The wine tasting was paired with delicious cheeses. Our tour guide, Brittany, was very nice and didn't show any hint of snobbery that past reviews have hinted at experiencing at this vineyard. The wines were very good, as usual.

My mom and I drove up to the beautiful building and grounds to see if they could fit us in for a tasting, although it was reservation only they were exceptionally kind and Shane took the time to sit with us and share with us a glass of wine and some knowledge about the process. We will for sure be back!

Ok, words alone cannot describe the beauty of this place. The place is stunning, amazing, beautiful, soothing, and picture-perfect! The entrance is an adventure in itself, you drive through the vineyards, and approach a large gate which upon proximity opens itself and invites you into a path filled with amazing and colorful plants and foliage; driving through this felt magical and exciting! Once you make it through to a moderately-sized parking lot, you will find some of the best service in existence, absolutely friendly, caring, and considerate staff. As far as the wine goes, I don't drink any alcoholic beverages so I have nothing to say about that, but my significant other who did sample some of their wines says they were all very good (which makes sense since she bought 3 bottles to take home). The seating area was also very stunning and the views were plentiful, we were there during the day and it was gorgeous but I'm sure at night it is also just as beautiful. We weren't able to go inside any of the buildings due to Covid but nonetheless, it was just, "WOW". I would highly recommend coming here, for both the consuming of wine and the scenery.

Very bad experience! It has a very small parking lot. You need to call ahead of time to reserve just to obtain entrance on the premise! There are hundreds of vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Lodi! The parking attendants were unkind. They came chasing after us and other guests to leave the property! We went on to have a wonderful day at other wineries!

One of the most beautiful tasting sites in the Valley, complete with some of the best wines and a cheese pairing. Highly recommended.

Incredibly stunningly beautiful vineyard with beautiful flowers along the stair pathway to the wine tasting area. Our host, Gregory G., made our tasting experience unforgettable with excellent service coupled with excellent wine industry knowledge sharing. Our favorite wine was the 2016 Cab from the library. We will definitely be back again. Cheers!!!

Beautiful scenery, good drinks, but the price is not good

This tour is a must see. Beautiful grounds and buildings. Acres of cultivated gardens. The wine caves were amazing. Our tour guide Jess was gracious and knowledgeable. Delicious wines with a nice cheese pairing.

Just lovely. Chris was our host; we sat in the gazebo; the wines held up to their reputation and then some. Chris was so knowledgeable and friendly. We will absolutely be back!

Always beautiful, professional but not pretentious. Awesome hosts and wines!

Far Niente is like Mondavi in that you go there for the tour and they give you a marketing-y spiel about the place, then have you taste their wine. Your perception is distorted after seeing their caves and antique cars. If you're not 100% objective about the wine, you'll get sucked in by the sophistry.

Don't me wrong, the tour is a lot of fun. Our guide was funny and we had a good time laughing at all his charming jokes. The antique cars were pretty cool, even to someone like me who doesn't really know that much about cars. And you really can't beat the manicured grounds. You can spend an hour there taking pictures of the 10,000 or however many tulips that just bloomed.

The wine is fairly mediocre and fairly expensive. The whites are not aged long enough and the reds lack character and strength. It's not something you should spend your money on since when you drink that wine, you won't have a charming tour guide to talk you into the wine or beautiful flours and cool cars to elevate your mood.

The tour and tasting come out to a pricey $50. For that kind of money, I'd rather go to Phelps or spend it at Redd on a delicious meal.

PS: When I made the reservation, they seemed very adamant about using directions on the website, instead of Google Maps. But it's not really that hard to fine, and Google Maps got it right. I thought this was kind of excessive.

PPS: I had to change the date of the reservation, but apparently that didn't go through so when we showed up, the lady seemed very suspicious that I had made a reservation. She wasn't very nice about it and that totally rubbed me the wrong way. In the end, she "let" us join the 3pm tour. For 50 bucks, I expected to be treated with more respect. At least give me the benefit of doubt that I didn't just jump over the iron gate and march up to demand a tour. Sheesh...

Exceptional wines and one of the most beautiful properties in Napa. Old world meets new with sustainability at the fore in their floating solar arrays. Tour the caverns. Taste the Dolce...

Lovely winery, perfect view of vineyards and of course delicious wine, the best in Napa!

Delicious wines and very cool cave tour, highly recommend visiting this beautiful winery!

This was our favorite winery we visited in Napa! We did the 90 minute tour. Jess was our tour guide and was super knowledgeable and engaging. The wine was amazing, and the grounds and caves were unique. The tour was worth it, and would definitely recommend to others!

One of the best experiences Napa Valley has to offer and a must for wine collectors. Call well in advance for appointments.

Very classy, very professional.

I am a 26 year old with no knowledge of wine or care for it. I came out with a better understanding of wine and appreciation for the trade. The tour and tasting was amazing! Great history lessons and touring of their caves!
The ladies at the front were welcoming and fit us into a tour.... we had no reservations... Call a couple days ahead to make reservations. Thank you for not turning us away Far Niente! Going to use the wine we bought at our wedding. Mahalo!!!

Beautiful grounds, very good wines. The wine and cheese pairing is delicious, some of the best cheeses I have ever tried. Dolce wine is a great finisher.