More About 2022 Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay In 1885, John Benson established Far Niente, a historic winery in Napa Valley that thrived until 1919, when prohibition halted its operations. Six decades later, Gil Nickel acquired and meticulously restored the property, driven by a vision to craft an exemplary Napa Valley Chardonnay with sophistication, balance, and stature. The inaugural bottling of Far Niente estate Chardonnay was released in 1979 and has been a winery namesake for over 40 years. The 2022 vintage is a superlative blend of Napa Valley vineyards in Coombsville, an area boasting a climate akin to Carneros but with less wind and well-drained gravelly loam and volcanic ash soils. To uphold the winery's celebrated house style, malolactic fermentation is avoided to preserve crisp acidity, and this vintage was matured in French oak to emphasize the premium fruit quality.