The winery is beautiful and the wines and tasting are great, the club is a scam with them forcing extra bottles on you without authorizing or ordering, and curt and surly customer service person in wine club and to top it off you can get many of their wines at Costco for lower price.
Marat Oyvetsky
I am sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed with our tasting at Far Niente. I have enjoyed the Far Niente wines for years and have many in my cellar collection. When I was looking for a new winery to join as a wine club member in Napa, I did my research and ultimately decided on Far Niente due to my love for their wines. I was SO excited to visit with my friends this past weekend. Sadly, my expectations were completely demolished. The grounds were gorgeous. The tasting rooms were immaculate. The tasting itself was not what I expected. I suppose that going to another well known winery for tasting right before Far Niente was a bad way to contrast what we experienced in Far Niente. The other winery walked us through their portfolio completely. It was not about getting drunk. It was about tasting all of their amazing wines and getting familiar with the Napa region and the styles of the winemaker who made their amazing single vineyard cabs. Far Niente was a different experience. We were given 4 small splashes. One special taste of a reserve, and then, the tasting as over. We sat in the tasting room for someone to return, but finally realized that this was it. For the price of membership or of the tasting, it was completely disappointing. I do not know if I will return. I will need to think about whether or not I want to continue my membership.
Milly Gonzalez
Very disappointed. We were so looking forward to this tasting and although the property is beautiful our experience was really bad. It first started out when we got there on time for our experience and we had to sit there and watch our host Jill chatting with two guests and actually came to greet us past our appointment time only because another employee gave her “the look” that we were waiting. Not very professional. But it got worse. once she finally greeted us she proceeded to take us to a room where after a brief welcome she left us alone for quite a while and after coming back briefly, again left us alone. That is when we figured out that she was splitting her time between us and those two guests, which is not what we paid for. We got very little info about the winery since she was obviously splitting her time (less with us). Once we finished our wine we decided to stop waiting for her and started to leave when she showed up. Against my wishes my husband gave her a tip because he thought it wasn’t her fault your company had her doing two tastings at the same time. Worst time at a tasting in Napa and i believe that since we got half an experience we should get half our money back, especially since this was one of the most expensive tastings we’ve had. I will be sharing our experience on social media.
UPDATE: March 14, 2025 I was contacted by Mr. Dormer from Far Niente after this review and he was very apologetic about what happened with our tasting. He advised that he was going to find out why this went wrong and he additionally provided a refund for the tasting. He was very nice and made me feel like Far Niente does care about their clients and are willing to do what’s needed to make things right. He additionally asked us to give them another try, which we plan on doing once we are in the area again. Thank you Mr. Dormer for your attention and resolution of this issue.
Catrina Mason
Beautiful grounds but very average tasting experience and overpriced. We will not come back and will not recommend this place to others.
Romil Tanna
This was a very disappointing experience. I am just giving a 2 star for the property. The tasting was worth 1 star. For $125 per person you get to taste 4 samples including some low end wines. They have a small cheese platter with 4 small different cheeses to pair. The tasting is arranged in a private room. You will get a few minutes of lecture on the history of the vineyard and a brief description of the wines that you’d sample. Absolutely no explanation of wine making process or tour of the facility. I wanted to revisit one of the samples before purchasing and was flat out denied. I have never been denied a revisit by any winery and I have visited many across the world.
Don’t waste you time and money in this tasting. You may just visit their property for beautiful pictures.
Clara Diez
San Francisco to Napa was a trip to remember—until we visited Far Niente Winery. While I’ve enjoyed their wines in the past, my experience at the winery left much to be desired. Arriving at 11 a.m. with just one other car in the guest parking, we were met with an unwelcoming receptionist and told we couldn’t enter without a reservation—not even to stroll the grounds or enjoy a tasting. The unfriendly attitude was such a stark contrast to the warm hospitality we experienced at other wineries. Unfortunately, it’s an experience that has soured my appreciation and future purchase for their wines.
Gina Son (Gina)
Overall, Far Niente serves great wines, but membership at Far Niente is not worth it. I had been a member for slightly less than a year but had to cancel due to an obnoxious experience at the wine club last September. I have memberships with several other Napa wineries and was coming from a harvesting experience at a nearby winery where I’m also a member. Our second stop was Far Niente, where we were guided to the outdoor seating area near the pond and wood ovens.
While the lady hosting us was kind and professional, another host named James made us incredibly uncomfortable and completely ruined the tasting experience. I had brought two guests along and, since we had just come from harvesting, we had three small containers of freshly squeezed Cabernet grape juice that couldn’t be left in the car due to the heat. James repeatedly commented, “That looks like poison to me,” and, “I won’t drink it because I’ll get sick,” in a way that was rude and unnecessary. Even though the lady host tried to de-escalate the situation, he wouldn’t stop, making the entire experience awkward and embarrassing—especially as I was an active member bringing guests.
After the incident, I called to cancel my membership immediately. While I’ve had better experiences at their affiliated wineries like Nickel & Nickel and Bella Union, this specific incident left a terrible impression of Far Niente. I’ve always loved their wines, but I will never return as a member or a guest. They seriously need to improve their treatment of members and overall hospitality.
Robert King Tang
James, my host was aloof at best and rude at worst.
YJ Joo
I visited this winery with high expectations, believing it would live up to the prestige of Oakville and Far Niente's global reputation. Unfortunately, the experience was nothing short of appalling, completely ruining our Napa Valley experience and tarnishing the image of the brand you represent.
Our host, James, barely made an effort to explain the wines, simply pouring them and disappearing without a word. I have visited 15+ wineries in the past and am a loyal member at several others, yet I couldn’t imagine ever considering a membership with your establishment after this. This level of disregard is unacceptable for a winery of your supposed caliber.
When we reported our disappointing experience to the supervisor, we were met with silence—no apology, no acknowledgment of the issue. Instead, they handed us some wine as if to say, “Take this and leave.” We are not naive enough to mistake this gesture for genuine hospitality. The absence of a simple apology spoke volumes about your lack of respect for your customers.
To make matters worse, we were prevented from enjoying and photographing the scenic views, told it was due to a "PRIVATE TASTING". This was absurd given that we were there for a PRIVATE tasting ourselves, and the view held no connection to the event in question. The entire experience felt demeaning and unwelcoming, completely unworthy of what Far Niente should represent. At the very least, your staff should learn how to politely warn customers or give a heads-up in advance if there are such restrictions.
If you aim to provide a superior experience, your winery is one that people should avoid at all costs. I urge your CEO or someone at the executive level to reach out to me directly so I can detail this incident further. Napa Valley deserves better than this, and so do your customers.
Brad Burgess
Grounds and cellar amazing, actual tasting was good. A more knowledgeable host would have made this a 5 out of 5
***THEFT***DO NOT JOIN their membership!! They would charge your credit card randomly without any invoice/notice, hoping you don't check your account. After they steal from me, they simply said that was a mistake. No apologize no nothing!!
Doug Friednash
It was awful and incredibly disappointing.
valar Rajesh
Don't go here without reservation. They will not even allow to cross the gate . Bit of rude guys .. other wineries they respect people atleast to take pics. This is too much . Not at all a humane
Dave Baloun
We had 4 of us visiting all 3 properties in the Far Niente family on Saturday. Our hosts Shane and Robert did a fantastic job walking us through a variety of offerings from these three locations. They not only presented great wines to taste but also added valuable insights into each one. These wineries are all quite different from one another but every one as gorgeous as the previous one. We had a most memorable afternoon with these guys, thank you so much! Cheers!
Chelsey McMasters
An absolutely stunning venue, the ground are meticulously well maintained and the property is loved. Upon arrival we were offered a glass of their ‘23 Chardonnay, you might not consider yourself a Chardonnay person but this one will make you change your mind! Michael gave us a phenomenal tour of the grounds and some of the cave system, and then we were in for a treat with the food & wine pairings - we became members on the spot because of the service, amazing wine & fantastic property. Don’t miss this gem in Napa - genuine & down to earth over the commercialization of the valley!
The winery is beautiful and the wines and tasting are great, the club is a scam with them forcing extra bottles on you without authorizing or ordering, and curt and surly customer service person in wine club and to top it off you can get many of their wines at Costco for lower price.
I am sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed with our tasting at Far Niente. I have enjoyed the Far Niente wines for years and have many in my cellar collection. When I was looking for a new winery to join as a wine club member in Napa, I did my research and ultimately decided on Far Niente due to my love for their wines. I was SO excited to visit with my friends this past weekend. Sadly, my expectations were completely demolished. The grounds were gorgeous. The tasting rooms were immaculate. The tasting itself was not what I expected. I suppose that going to another well known winery for tasting right before Far Niente was a bad way to contrast what we experienced in Far Niente. The other winery walked us through their portfolio completely. It was not about getting drunk. It was about tasting all of their amazing wines and getting familiar with the Napa region and the styles of the winemaker who made their amazing single vineyard cabs. Far Niente was a different experience. We were given 4 small splashes. One special taste of a reserve, and then, the tasting as over. We sat in the tasting room for someone to return, but finally realized that this was it. For the price of membership or of the tasting, it was completely disappointing. I do not know if I will return. I will need to think about whether or not I want to continue my membership.
Very disappointed. We were so looking forward to this tasting and although the property is beautiful our experience was really bad. It first started out when we got there on time for our experience and we had to sit there and watch our host Jill chatting with two guests and actually came to greet us past our appointment time only because another employee gave her “the look” that we were waiting. Not very professional. But it got worse. once she finally greeted us she proceeded to take us to a room where after a brief welcome she left us alone for quite a while and after coming back briefly, again left us alone. That is when we figured out that she was splitting her time between us and those two guests, which is not what we paid for. We got very little info about the winery since she was obviously splitting her time (less with us). Once we finished our wine we decided to stop waiting for her and started to leave when she showed up. Against my wishes my husband gave her a tip because he thought it wasn’t her fault your company had her doing two tastings at the same time. Worst time at a tasting in Napa and i believe that since we got half an experience we should get half our money back, especially since this was one of the most expensive tastings we’ve had. I will be sharing our experience on social media.
UPDATE:
March 14, 2025
I was contacted by Mr. Dormer from Far Niente after this review and he was very apologetic about what happened with our tasting. He advised that he was going to find out why this went wrong and he additionally provided a refund for the tasting. He was very nice and made me feel like Far Niente does care about their clients and are willing to do what’s needed to make things right. He additionally asked us to give them another try, which we plan on doing once we are in the area again. Thank you Mr. Dormer for your attention and resolution of this issue.
Beautiful grounds but very average tasting experience and overpriced. We will not come back and will not recommend this place to others.
This was a very disappointing experience. I am just giving a 2 star for the property. The tasting was worth 1 star. For $125 per person you get to taste 4 samples including some low end wines. They have a small cheese platter with 4 small different cheeses to pair. The tasting is arranged in a private room. You will get a few minutes of lecture on the history of the vineyard and a brief description of the wines that you’d sample. Absolutely no explanation of wine making process or tour of the facility. I wanted to revisit one of the samples before purchasing and was flat out denied. I have never been denied a revisit by any winery and I have visited many across the world.
Don’t waste you time and money in this tasting. You may just visit their property for beautiful pictures.
San Francisco to Napa was a trip to remember—until we visited Far Niente Winery. While I’ve enjoyed their wines in the past, my experience at the winery left much to be desired. Arriving at 11 a.m. with just one other car in the guest parking, we were met with an unwelcoming receptionist and told we couldn’t enter without a reservation—not even to stroll the grounds or enjoy a tasting. The unfriendly attitude was such a stark contrast to the warm hospitality we experienced at other wineries. Unfortunately, it’s an experience that has soured my appreciation and future purchase for their wines.
Overall, Far Niente serves great wines, but membership at Far Niente is not worth it. I had been a member for slightly less than a year but had to cancel due to an obnoxious experience at the wine club last September. I have memberships with several other Napa wineries and was coming from a harvesting experience at a nearby winery where I’m also a member. Our second stop was Far Niente, where we were guided to the outdoor seating area near the pond and wood ovens.
While the lady hosting us was kind and professional, another host named James made us incredibly uncomfortable and completely ruined the tasting experience. I had brought two guests along and, since we had just come from harvesting, we had three small containers of freshly squeezed Cabernet grape juice that couldn’t be left in the car due to the heat. James repeatedly commented, “That looks like poison to me,” and, “I won’t drink it because I’ll get sick,” in a way that was rude and unnecessary. Even though the lady host tried to de-escalate the situation, he wouldn’t stop, making the entire experience awkward and embarrassing—especially as I was an active member bringing guests.
After the incident, I called to cancel my membership immediately. While I’ve had better experiences at their affiliated wineries like Nickel & Nickel and Bella Union, this specific incident left a terrible impression of Far Niente. I’ve always loved their wines, but I will never return as a member or a guest. They seriously need to improve their treatment of members and overall hospitality.
James, my host was aloof at best and rude at worst.
I visited this winery with high expectations, believing it would live up to the prestige of Oakville and Far Niente's global reputation. Unfortunately, the experience was nothing short of appalling, completely ruining our Napa Valley experience and tarnishing the image of the brand you represent.
Our host, James, barely made an effort to explain the wines, simply pouring them and disappearing without a word. I have visited 15+ wineries in the past and am a loyal member at several others, yet I couldn’t imagine ever considering a membership with your establishment after this. This level of disregard is unacceptable for a winery of your supposed caliber.
When we reported our disappointing experience to the supervisor, we were met with silence—no apology, no acknowledgment of the issue. Instead, they handed us some wine as if to say, “Take this and leave.” We are not naive enough to mistake this gesture for genuine hospitality. The absence of a simple apology spoke volumes about your lack of respect for your customers.
To make matters worse, we were prevented from enjoying and photographing the scenic views, told it was due to a "PRIVATE TASTING". This was absurd given that we were there for a PRIVATE tasting ourselves, and the view held no connection to the event in question. The entire experience felt demeaning and unwelcoming, completely unworthy of what Far Niente should represent. At the very least, your staff should learn how to politely warn customers or give a heads-up in advance if there are such restrictions.
If you aim to provide a superior experience, your winery is one that people should avoid at all costs. I urge your CEO or someone at the executive level to reach out to me directly so I can detail this incident further. Napa Valley deserves better than this, and so do your customers.
Grounds and cellar amazing, actual tasting was good. A more knowledgeable host would have made this a 5 out of 5
Restaurantji Recommends
***THEFT***DO NOT JOIN their membership!! They would charge your credit card randomly without any invoice/notice, hoping you don't check your account. After they steal from me, they simply said that was a mistake. No apologize no nothing!!
It was awful and incredibly disappointing.
Don't go here without reservation. They will not even allow to cross the gate . Bit of rude guys .. other wineries they respect people atleast to take pics. This is too much . Not at all a humane
We had 4 of us visiting all 3 properties in the Far Niente family on Saturday. Our hosts Shane and Robert did a fantastic job walking us through a variety of offerings from these three locations. They not only presented great wines to taste but also added valuable insights into each one. These wineries are all quite different from one another but every one as gorgeous as the previous one. We had a most memorable afternoon with these guys, thank you so much! Cheers!
An absolutely stunning venue, the ground are meticulously well maintained and the property is loved. Upon arrival we were offered a glass of their ‘23 Chardonnay, you might not consider yourself a Chardonnay person but this one will make you change your mind! Michael gave us a phenomenal tour of the grounds and some of the cave system, and then we were in for a treat with the food & wine pairings - we became members on the spot because of the service, amazing wine & fantastic property. Don’t miss this gem in Napa - genuine & down to earth over the commercialization of the valley!
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