Esteemed Napa Valley Winery Hires Executive Chef Phillip Moratin to Elevate its Culinary Program to Compliment its Wines
Oakville, CA, September 26, 2022 – Far Niente Winery is excited to launch one of Napa Valley’s preeminent hospitality experiences, specifically curated to showcase its renowned wine and culinary programs. Far Niente helped establish the benchmark for luxury hospitality in Napa at its idyllic Oakville estate and the winery’s new Library Tasting presents the very best of wine country with a chef-curated pairing menu created by new Executive Chef Phillip Moratin, highlighting its exclusive Cave Collection wines.
Far Niente has appointed Chef Phillip to continue to build its renowned culinary program, which highlights the bounty of Napa from its local produce to its wines. The winery recognized early on the intrinsic link between wine and food and has made gastronomy a vital element of its tasting experience from its inception. Chef Phillip will work closely with the Director of Hospitality, Elias Mandilaras, who is a fellow alum of the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, to continue to develop the winery’s hospitality and culinary programs to provide the finest the valley has to offer.
“Hospitality has always been at the core of our philosophy at Far Niente and is a central element to the wine experience. We are thrilled to have Chef Phillip join our team and help us elevate the culinary program to showcase the quality of our wines,” said CEO Steve Spadarotto. “For more than 40 years we have prided ourselves on offering first-in-class service to visitors and members at our historic estate and our new Library Tasting will take that hospitality to a new level.”
The new Library Tasting will take guests on a multisensory experience as they explore Far Niente’s beautiful estate and taste its award-winning wines. Starting with a tour of the winery’s magnificent caves, guests will adjourn to the historic winery for a curated food and wine pairing featuring Far Niente’s Cave Collection Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnay. This exclusive tasting is one of the only opportunities to taste the Far Niente Cave Collection wines, which are expertly aged with a portion saved specifically for this experience.
Chef Phillip is carefully developing each dish to match the Far Niente Cave Collection wines and accentuate their flavors, showcasing the care and attention that Far Niente’s team puts into crafting the wines. He is working with the winemaking team to fine tune each dish to find the ideal match using seasonal ingredients from Far Niente’s culinary garden and local purveyors. Chef and his team will personally guide guests through the food and wine pairings exploring each interpretation and the stories behind the products.
“I’m delighted to be joining one of Napa Valley’s flagship wineries and to work with such a talented and dedicated team who consistently produces such high-quality and food friendly wines,” said Chef Phillip. “We want our food and wine pairings to have a wow factor that leaves an indelible impression on our guests when they walk out the door. Far Niente has always been about luxury; this experience aims to raise that bar even higher while honoring the beauty of Napa.”
Chef Phillip has worked for some of Napa’s top restaurants including the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Morimoto and Etoile Restaurant at Domaine Chandon. Prior to joining Far Niente, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Angele Restaurant and Bar in the city of Napa. It was at Etoile that Chef Phillip first became fascinated with pairing food and wine when he tasted a Foie Gras Torchon served alongside a glass of Dolce, America’s leading late-harvest dessert wine produced under Far Niente Wine Estates.
About Far Niente Wine Estates
Situated in the heart of Oakville, Far Niente has served as a benchmark Napa Valley estate for over four decades, though its history dates to 1885 when the estate was first established by pioneer John Benson. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the gravity-fed winery was built and designed by Hamden McIntyre, who designed many of Napa’s most remarkable wineries. Stewarded by Oakville pioneer Martin Stelling, Far Niente winery has a legacy of excellence, and was restored to its original prestige by the Nickel family in 1979. Inspired by the great wine estates of Europe, Far Niente was built to craft world-class expressions of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. This ethos, which continues to inform every action the team takes today, enabled Far Niente to become a standard-bearer for Napa Valley wines worldwide. Preserving the legacy that began on this estate over 125 years ago inspired Far Niente to expand its holdings in the Napa and Russian River Valleys. Today, Far Niente Wine Estates owns and operates six premium wineries in these prestigious appellations.
