Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.
The folks at Far Niente have been working on their brand story a bit lately, and decided that they want to approach the market like a luxury goods manufacturer. So now they are going to market as The House of Far Niente, with the idea of gathering all their distinct brands under the name and aesthetic of their master brand. Which is why they had someone reach out and ask me if I wanted to “experience” the House of Far Niente. Who knows what the hell that means, but they sent along a bunch of samples, so here’s your chance to experience the House of Far Niente.
Of the two Chardonnays they sent along, the Far Niente version was much better and more sophisticated than the Post & Beam, and the Nickel & Nickel Cabernet was, as usual, polished and excellent. I find their En Route Pinot Noirs a bit rich for my taste, but they continue to be well-made and will appeal to those looking for a bolder interpretation of the grape. I haven’t had the top-end of the Bella Union portfolio, their hulking bottle of Rutherford Cabernet, which comes in an offensively heavy bottle adorned with some sort of metal-seal looking thing, just as a reminder of how little they care for their carbon footprint. The wine was decent, but they gotta fix that bottle…