Oakville · Napa Valley
Visit Far Niente with a Private Chauffeur
An 1885 stone winery revived in 1979, with gardens, caves and Oakville Cabernet, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
John Benson bought an Oakville farm in 1880 and named it Far Niente, Italian for "without a care." In 1885 he built a stone winery with the architect Hamden McIntyre, one of Napa Valley's first gravity-flow wineries. After Prohibition it was abandoned for decades.
Gil Nickel revived Far Niente in 1979, restoring the stone winery and digging caves beneath it from 1980. The first modern wines were the 1979 Chardonnay and the 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dolce, a late-harvest dessert wine, followed from 1985. The winery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tastings are unhurried and gracious, among manicured gardens and in the caves, focused on Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It is one of the classic appointment-only visits in the valley.
Tasting Fees
$175 for the Legacy Tour & Tasting, about 90 minutes. $150 for the Private Legacy Tasting or the Great Hall group tour, and $130 for Il Dolce Far Niente, an hour outdoors. $295 for the Cave Collection library tasting with food.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1350 Acacia Drive, Oakville
AVA
Oakville
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only.
Known For
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Dolce
Founded
1885 (revived in 1979)
Good to Know
Guests must be 21 or older; no children or pets. Most experiences take 2 to 6 guests; larger groups book a group tour. Wine club members taste free.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Yountville hotel such as Bardessono or Hotel Villagio.
10:00 · Pickup at Bardessono or Hotel Villagio
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Bardessono, a LEED Platinum hotel in Yountville, and Hotel Villagio, in the center of Yountville, are each about 7 minutes from Far Niente. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Far Niente
The Legacy Tour & Tasting through the winery and caves, about 90 minutes ($175), or Il Dolce Far Niente, an hour ($130).
11:55 · Nickel & Nickel
About 3 minutes away. Single-vineyard, single-varietal wines tasted at a restored farmstead with an 1884 farmhouse and an 18th-century barn brought from New Hampshire. Uncork & Unwind is about an hour ($75). Reservations encouraged, 21 and over.
1:05 · Lunch at Rutherford Grill
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Rutherford Grill on Highway 29 in Rutherford, open daily for lunch. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Groth Vineyards
About 8 minutes away. A family estate on Oakville Cross Road, farming Oakville Cabernet since 1982; its 1985 Reserve Cabernet is known as the first California wine to earn 100 points from Robert Parker. A Taste of Groth is 45 minutes ($50); Oakville Roots is an hour ($75). By appointment, 21 and over.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Silver Oak
Adds about an hour. Cabernet Sauvignon only, aged in American oak, at a LEED Platinum winery in Oakville. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar for parties of 4 or fewer as space allows; open until 5 p.m., with tastings from $65.
About $255 to $325 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Far Niente?
Yes. Far Niente is open by appointment only. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Far Niente?
$175 per person for the Legacy Tour & Tasting, $150 for the Private Legacy Tasting and $130 for Il Dolce Far Niente, as of September 2026.
How long is a visit to Far Niente?
About 90 minutes for the Legacy Tour & Tasting, and about an hour for Il Dolce Far Niente.
Can children visit Far Niente?
No. Guests must be 21 or older, and pets are not permitted.
What does Far Niente mean?
It is Italian for "without a care," the name John Benson gave his Oakville farm in 1880.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"Far Niente Winery","url":"https://farniente.com","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1350 Acacia Drive","addressLocality":"Oakville","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"94562","addressCountry":"US"},"foundingDate":"1885","containedInPlace":{"@type":"Place","name":"Oakville AVA"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Far Niente?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Far Niente is open by appointment only. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Far Niente?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"$175 per person for the Legacy Tour & Tasting, $150 for the Private Legacy Tasting and $130 for Il Dolce Far Niente, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How long is a visit to Far Niente?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"About 90 minutes for the Legacy Tour & Tasting, and about an hour for Il Dolce Far Niente."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can children visit Far Niente?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Guests must be 21 or older, and pets are not permitted."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What does Far Niente mean?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It is Italian for \"without a care,\" the name John Benson gave his Oakville farm in 1880."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added."}}]}]}