11 Nov Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Far Niente 2018 Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay

Nothing beats a delicious Chardonnay and that is why the Far Niente 2018 Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

Located in Oakville in the heart of Napa Valley, Far Niente was established in 1885 by John Benson who arrived in California in 1949 for the gold rush. After falling into disrepair during Prohibition, Gil Nickel purchased the property in 1979 and restored it. Their first harvest of Chardonnay was in 1979 and Far Niente has been producing Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, for four decades.

In addition to the estate property in Oakville, Far Niente owns the 18-acre Barrow Lane Vineyard and the 50-acre John’s Creek Vineyard, both in Coombsville. This is where the Chardonnay is sourced from.

Far Niente does not put their Chardonnay through malolactic fermentation (secondary fermentation). This is an intentional decision by winemaker Nicole Marchesi who is looking to make a fresh style of Napa Valley Chardonnay. And that is what she has done.

The Far Niente 2018 Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay is clean and crisp with gorgeous creaminess on the palate. The nose has bright citrus, apple, fig, and honeysuckle aromas. On the palate, the acidity is intense but there is also a richness to the wine. The wine has a long finish that keeps going and going.

This wine is young and is beautifully structured. As much as I enjoyed sipping it now, it will age. Good thing I used my Coravin, as I look forward to enjoying more of this wine in a few years!

The Far Niente 2018 Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay retails for $70.