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A Zinandal that will take your breath away. This is the only vintage that we produced the Butala Zin is only offered on location at the winery or here online. There are a total of 28 bottles left!

A mild spring led way to a beautiful summer in 2002. Warm days and cool nights yielded good ripening conditions for the fruit. Low humidity at the end of September really concentrated fruit flavors and we had to enhance our irrigation regime to keep the fruit on the vines a bit longer to ensure maximum maturity.

The 2001 Dolce was aged on its primary fermentation lees for two-and-a-half years in new French oak, resulting in a richer sense of earthy complexity behind the unctuous fruit-driven style of Dolce. The fruity aromas of dried apricot and orange rind and accents of minerals and earthiness. The coating and inviting entry is followed by a rounded, balanced and mouth-watering palate of pear and tropical fruits. Our experience with previous vintages suggests that this compelling blend will continue to develop its bottle bouquet and be enjoyable for years to come.

Far Niente`s Cabernet Sauvignon is produced exclusively from grapes grown in the Oakville Viticultural area of Napa Valley. Ninety percent of the grapes are from The Stelling Vineyard, our estate vineyard located behind the winery at the base of the western hills of Oakville. The remaining ten percent of the fruit comes from our Sullenger Vineyard and one other small estate in Oakville.

Far Niente Chardonnays are classically structured wines that are lush and round on the palate while displaying the typical intensity of fruit and spicy oak aromas that have become synonymous with our "house style". While the finish is long and clean, the flavors become increasingly full and complex with time. Our experience is that this wine improves in the bottle for at least five years and that they can grow in complexity and depth for possibly ten years or more.

Aromas of pear and spun sugar. Concentrated, dense and sharply focused, with classic, brisk no-malo flavors of apple and quince, underpinned by stony minerality. Dense, quite dry and stylish; very refreshing but not at all hard. Finishes with excellent persistence.

A warm, mild spring produced excellent growing conditions for this vineyard. The vines continued to strengthen this year and production levels improved. Warm temperatures in late September, combined with low humidity, pushed sugar and flavor development ahead of our expectations and really concentrated the fruit.

Indicative of syrah, this wine is dark in color and opens with aromas of lavender, plum and spice. The beautiful floral note of this vineyard carries through on the palate, mixed with layers of red fruits and an underlying meatiness typical of the variety. This wine is full from start to finish and has an excellent progression of fruit, spice, toast, and meat that continues into a long, supple finish.

Very dark in color, this wine entices the senses with a perfume of plum, violet, tar, coffee and spice. It is packed with intensity, opening with a mouthful of jammy fruit, meat, spice, earth and a gamey quality that is true to the varietal. Big and bold, it fills the palate with layers of flavors finishing with coffee and roasted nuts enveloped by elegant, coating tannins.

Dragonfly Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon impresses with its ripe, jammy fruit and plush texture. The color is a beautiful garnet and the aromas reveal the ripeness of this fruit at harvest. The wine opens with concentrated flavors of strawberry jam and a penetrating perfume wrapped in soft layers of toasty oak. The tannins are incredibly supple and long, adding to the warmth and elegance of the wine.

Similar to the 2001 vintage, this wine opens with a bouquet of floral aromas of rose petal, violets, wild berries and spice. The flavors are rich and dense, with a bit of earth and meat adding layers. This wine has a lot going on and the medley of fruit, pepper, and spice is complemented by the toasty oak, which adds a sweetness to the palate. The fat, silky texture of this wine continues to grow with the fruit into a well-sculpted finish.

Dark in color with floral aromas of rose petal, lavender, vanilla and spice. Plum and wild berry are present on the entry of this wine supported by an underlying meatiness with rich, toasty oak. Pretty yet chewy and dense, this wine finishes with long, elegant tannins.

Although we experienced slightly higher rainfall levels in April, the growing season was moderate in 2003 with budbreak and bloom following a usual pattern. A few heat waves in August and September led to good maturity at harvest. This vineyard was harvested on three separate days to maximize fruit quality and ripeness. The Bear Flat clone, which usually gives the nicer fruit flavors, was first to be picked while our “structure” clone was left to hang for another week. This added hang time helped soften the tannins while allowing the fruit to become ultra ripe.

Hudson Syrah shows a beautiful dark color very characteristic of Syrah. Aromas of violet, lavender and berry abound from the glass. This wine is rich and concentrated with flavors of wild berry, white pepper and spice with just a shade of the varietal funkiness adding subtle nuances throughout. This is a flashy wine, full of flavor, which expands on the palate and continues to grow through its lengthy finish.

Flavors of melon, pear and apple mingle with the flint, mineral and fig components to make a very harmonious combination. Bright and crisp on the palate yet long and rich, the oak adds a creamy texture that gains length on the finish. This wine can be enjoyed today and will continue to evolve for years to come.

The 2002 Ponzo Zinfandel is probably one of the most fruit-driven wines from this vineyard. The raspberry flavors are fully pronounced, ripe and jammy with the underlying black pepper, vanilla and spice that are characteristic of this vineyard. The warm, toasty oak surrounds those sweet impressions that carry on and linger to produce a long, balanced finish.

An early spring got 2004 off to a good start, with bud break occurring at the beginning of March. Warm weather continued through the spring, allowing for a good “set” in May. The vines seemed to have a lot of energy this year (whether it was due to higher soil moisture or the beautiful warm weather) and they had healthy growth throughout the season. A warm, consistent summer gave way to August heat waves that tended to raise sugar levels before flavors were fully mature. We waited for the flavors to develop before harvesting, but we picked the fruit earlier than in past years due to the earlier season overall.

The 2003 vintage opens with floral aromas of rose petals and jam. On the first sip, sweet blackberry and plum fills the palate while chocolate and spice add layering in the middle. These flavors lead to a coating mouthfeel, while layers of vanilla and spice from the oak lengthen the finish.

The 2001 John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the best from this vineyard. The wine is rich with ripe fruit flavors of blackberry and sweet cherry, layers of sweet herb, and an Oakville dustiness filling the middle palate. Notes of coffee and spice, coupled with sweet, toasty oak, carry into the long supple tannins that create this wine’s beautiful, lingering finish.

Similar to the 2002, this wine is quite impressive, offering layers of interest. Ripe flavors of dark plum and wild berry are enhanced by underlying layers of herb, cedar and sweet oak.

A classic style of Carneros Chardonnay, this wine effuses bright, fresh tropical fruit with notes of citrus and mineral. The fruit is accentuated by underlying vanilla and spice from the oak, adding richness and intensity.

Lack of rain in the late winter and early spring were a bit of a concern for this dry-farmed vineyard because we began the growing season with drier-than-usual soils. Vine vigor looked average and fruit set was good as we entered the summer. Low humidity and a few heat spikes led to higher sugars, however, we waited to pick until we had ripe flavors and mature tannins. Yields were slightly down due to the lower humidity, but flavors were more concentrated than ever before.

Ideal growing conditions in 2002 allowed for perfect balance in the vineyard. Our two-acre block in Stelling is a beautiful site where the vineyard tends to regulate itself. Complete suckering and good irrigation management seem to produce the light patterns needed for full development of the fruit. Low humidity in late September peaked flavor development and the fruit quickly developed rich, concentrated flavors of blackberry and cassis. Lower tonnage has produced a lovely wine.

Mild spring conditions were ideal for the vines in 2002 and the vineyard was well balanced. The crop looked a bit lighter than last year and proved to be down at harvest. Warm temperatures prevailed into the summer and the heat and low humidity at the end of September required strict irrigation practices due to the rocky soils. The old vines carried fruit that matured slowly and we needed to hang the fruit until mid-October before we developed the nice blueberry flavors that distinguish this vineyard.

The ripe, fruit intensity of Howell Mountain shines in this wine, which was crushed at the new Nickel & Nickel winery. Floral aromas mixed with jammy fruit, spice and cedar flow from the glass. Firm and impressive, this wine opens with abundant flavors of boysenberry and cassis enveloped by sweet floral notes and vanillin. Bold, yet rounded tannins, which are ever-present in this Howell Mountain vineyard, are the signature of this full-bodied wine.