Far Niente Winery
Also known as: Benson Wine Cellar
Why it's listed
Far Niente Winery, also known as the Benson Wine Cellar, is a three-level fieldstone winery set into a terraced knoll in the western foothills of the Napa Valley near Oakville. John Benson, a San Francisco financier and horticulturalist, commissioned it in 1885 from engineer and architect Hamden W. McIntyre, with local builders J. Delucchi and Mixon & Son carrying out the stonework and carpentry. A central three-story core with two-story wings lets grapes be crushed at the top, fermented on the middle level and aged below by gravity flow. A redwood subroof under the iron roof limited heat and condensation. It is believed to be McIntyre's earliest stone winery and a prototype for later designs across California. Prohibition ended operations in the 1920s, and the vineyards were later replanted. The stone walls remain sound, and the surrounding terraces, roads and cork oaks keep much of the 1880s setting. Restoration as a working winery was planned at the time of listing.
Significance in brief: It is believed to be the earliest of McIntyre's stone three-level gravity-flow wineries and served as a prototype for more than a dozen later designs. It remains one of the largest and least altered McIntyre wineries in Napa County. Its setting of terraces, roads and 1880s cork oak plantings is largely intact, and it reflects the late 19th-century Napa wine industry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000507, listed February 28, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of Oakville at 1577 Oakville Grade, Oakville |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | February 28, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000507 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885-1886 (specific dates 3/1885-7/1886; period box 1800-1899) |
| Architect / builder | Hamden W. McIntyre (architect/engineer); J. Delucchi (stone) and Mixon & Son (carpentry), local builders |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and undergoing planned restoration; stone walls in excellent condition, interior panelling deteriorated, and the owner plans to restore it as a working winery. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 38.42569, -122.40308 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000507.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.