Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
14.5% ABV | 750mL | Vintage 2023 | 92.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.4% Petit Verdot | Napa Valley, California — the Far Niente 2023 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the newest vintage of the Oakville winery's flagship red: a multi-vineyard Napa Valley blend (Rutherford, Calistoga, St. Helena and the Oakville estate) aged 17 months in French oak, 61% new. It earned 96 points from James Suckling and 95 from Jeb Dunnuck — a full-bodied, cellar-worthy Napa Cab, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Far Niente has been an Oakville landmark since 1885, and its Cabernet program — launched with the 1982 vintage — is one of Napa's defining wines. The 2023 spent an average of 14 days on skins before the long French-oak élevage under Director of Winemaking Andrew Delos, releasing Fall 2025. Among Napa Valley wines, this is the bottle collectors buy by the case: Suckling calls it "deep, dark and spicy" with "great tension and purity matched by plenty of generosity," while Dunnuck's 95-point note says it "should keep for 15-20 years if well stored."
Tasting notes
Official winery notes: vibrant black cherry, black currant and dark plum, layered with rose petal, caramel and toasted oak; a palate of ripe blackberry, spiced cherry and cassis, with bay leaf, cocoa and sweet oak through a long, supple finish. Suckling adds graphite, potpourri, dried flowers, herbs and wet river stones, with full-bodied texture and fine-grained tannins.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 96 points James Suckling / 95 Jeb Dunnuck — a critically acclaimed Napa vintage
- 92.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.4% Petit Verdot; 17 months in 61% new French oak
- Drink or hold — Dunnuck's drinking window is 2025–2045
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Decant 1–2 hours before serving at 60–65°F. Built for prime rib, dry-aged steak, and slow-braised short ribs — or lay it down for a decade-plus.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Far Niente 2023 Cabernet taste like?
Black cherry, black currant, dark plum and ripe blackberry with spiced cherry and cassis, finished with cocoa, bay leaf and sweet toasted oak — full-bodied with fine-grained tannins.
Can I age it?
Yes — Jeb Dunnuck scores it 95 and says it should keep 15–20 years if well stored, drinking beautifully from 2025 to 2045.
Where is it made?
By Far Niente Winery in Oakville, Napa Valley, California, from fruit sourced across Rutherford, Calistoga, St. Helena and the Oakville estate — a multi-vineyard Napa Valley blend, not a single-vineyard wine.