WTN: Far Niente; will I be disqualied from the geeks' club?

I was expecting to dislike this wine. I recall a bottle 10+ years ago which was a caricature of a certain sort of Californian; unctuously fruited and oaky, rather like Silver Oak. Age seems to have civilised it and it has a sort of smooth charm not a million miles away from some Tempranillo based Spanish classics of similar age like Alion, but with less oak presence!

1995 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/14/2015)
This is a suave Cab Sauv. Colour still deep, even opaque, with a rust tint while pouring. Both nose and medium/full bodied palate dominated by round rich rose petal tinged and slightly sweet fruit with some secondary forest floor development, smooth acidity, polished but resolved wood patina and firm backbone. The first sip before food revealed still prominent tannins on the finish but these receded into balance when accompanied by beef. Very good.

Posted from CellarTracker

[Jenise]

Never! Just because something isn't in one's usual space doesn't mean a well-made perfectly aged bottle of it won't please and impress. I'm just as opinionated and just as susceptible. Did you buy it yourself in Napa or was it a Euro find?

Never! Just because something isn't in one's usual space doesn't mean a well-made perfectly aged bottle of it won't please and impress. I'm just as opinionated and just as susceptible. Did you buy it yourself in Napa or was it a Euro find?

I must have bought it in London in the late 90s. There was a sticker on the bottle saying £39.99. Up-market Cali wines are hard to find in €-land, even in Belgium where there are good suppliers of most of the rest of the world; price is a deterrent. London is a different matter.

[David M. Bueker]

Going back to 1995 things were not yet so extreme in Napa. It makes sense that the wine would have aged into a more civilized and drinkable state.

These days Far Niente has fallen off the radar. They did not go so far into the extreme end of the spectrum, unlike say Caymus.

Going back to 1995 things were not yet so extreme in Napa. It makes sense that the wine would have aged into a more civilized and drinkable state.

These days Far Niente has fallen off the radar. They did not go so far into the extreme end of the spectrum, unlike say Caymus.

I also have a bottle of Caymus Special Selection '92 awaiting my attention , as well as an Opus One '94, a couple of Diamond Creek '95s, a Montelena '95 and a Ridge Montebello '92. I'm expecting the last three to be much to my taste and, indeed, something special, but the first two?

[Robin Garr]

I think the thing about Far Niente that inspired so much hate was not that it was bad wine, only that it was dramatically overpriced wine, consciously positioned to appeal to those with more money than good sense.

[David M. Bueker]

Though lately the pricing on Far Niente has not moved much. It's now in the "reasonable" category for Napa Cabernet.

Tim - I think the Opus will be fine for you. Opus also lagged the Napa over-ripeness trend, which is why they were kicked to the curb by Parker. As for the Caymus, again that predates the movement to full on goopiness. Also '92 is a very good, but not "great" (note the quotes) vintage which tames things a bit.

I think the thing about Far Niente that inspired so much hate was not that it was bad wine, only that it was dramatically overpriced wine, consciously positioned to appeal to those with more money than good sense.

But darn it, this is one of the most physically BEAUTIFUL properties in Napa Valley. Especially in the fall when the Gingko trees lining that driveway are turning color.

(Can I just say I am done with summer for this year? Hoping for a reasonably rainy season! )

The sister property, Nickel & Nickel, is also a beautiful property right on Highway 29.