Far Niente Winery was established in Napa Valley, California, in 1885 by John Benson. It is a producer of premium Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the most storied California wineries.

Far Niente Chardonnay has earned its reputation as one of the great white wines worthy of aging. The grapes are hand-picked from the various estate vineyards and then hand-sorted at the winery. Fermented 82% in the barrel and 18% in the tank with no malolactic fermentation. To assure proper development, the barrels are topped biweekly, allowing the wine to age gracefully on its yeast lees for 11 months in 53% new French oak. The winemaker evaluates each barrel for quality and style before it may be included in the blend.

The winery is now on the National Register for Historic Places. In 1998 a bottle of Far Niente Sweet Muscat from 1886 was discovered in a private California cellar. The bottle looks to be the oldest intact bottle of Californian wine, and the label is believed to have been illustrated by Winslow Homer.

Far Niente Chardonnay is a blend of superlative Napa Valley vineyards located in Coombsville, a cool growing region nestled in the rolling countryside and protected by the hills east of the city of Napa. Coombsville offers the characteristic climate of Carneros, with less wind, along with deeper, well-drained gravelly loam and volcanic ash soils. The combination of these spectacular vineyards results in the subtle, tropical flavours, complex aromas, and uncommon richness that have long been associated with Far Niente Chardonnay.