Review: Wines of Post & Beam, 2026 Releases

This second label of Far Niente launched in 2020 and has quickly proven itself as a more than capable option to reach for when the top shelf option isn’t quite in the budget. We recently received the operation’s core trio of releases for 2026. Thoughts on each bottling follow.

2024 Post & Beam Chardonnay Carneros – A classically oaked California chardonnay, albeit one with ample restraint. Initially a bit doughy and chewy, layers of lemon curd give way to a more patisserie vibe, with almond croissants and pistachio cream lively on the midpalate. The wine’s a bit tight on the finish, with a slight metallic tang, but this acidity does provide a certain cleansing quality, though it can strike a slightly harsh note at times. B+ / $35

2024 Post & Beam Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – Quite a bit lighter and quite a bit brighter than the typical Sonoma Coast pinot noir bottling, here we discover a delightful by-the-glass offering that offers moderated fruit — cherry, black raspberry, then some rhubarb — tempered by a shovelful of turned earth, a pinch of graphite, and just a hint of chewy, perhaps canned, green bean. The slight funkiness doesn’t overly mar what is otherwise a fairly bright, light-handed, and versatile experience, one which pairs genially with a wide range of foods — or nothing at all. A- / $40

2023 Post & Beam Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – Surprisingly restrained, what could have been a workaday cab reveals itself to offer tannic restraint, alongside a significant gingerbread character and notes of (very) dark chocolate and dried herbs, with sage surprisingly prominent. A husky clove-heavy character infuses a finish that lets up as it sees some cab trademark currant notes finally coming into the fore, returning to cocoa notes for a gently dessert-adjacent denouement. B+ / $40

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