PERFECT PALETTE

Hours of Operation: Tasting Room Open Daily: 11:00 am – 6:00pm Reservations recommended www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

The Coppola family’s vision for a winery in Sonoma began in 2006 when together they purchased the historic Château Souverain property. Francis Coppola’s dream of transforming the Francis Ford Coppola Winery into “a wine wonderland” was realized in 2010 with the help of longtime friend and Academy Award-winning production designer Dean Tavoularis. Tavoularis redesigned the property into a family-style resort with two wine tasting bars, two restaurants, a full bar, a swimming pool, a movie gallery, a performing arts pavilion, and a park area with game tables and bocce courts. “[It’s] a place to celebrate the love of life,” explains Coppola. Still, while the winery is designed with the entire family in mind, the main focus remains the production of its top-quality wines. Director of Winemaking and General Manager Corey Beck leads the on-site production of more than 40 wines, all of which are available for tasting and purchase. Beck has his own family legacy in viticulture, learning his craft from his grandfather who was the vineyard manager for Napa Valley’s renowned Chateau Montelena. Beck’s contributions have revitalized the property and improved the bottling line and winemaking facility, expanding the winery’s portfolio to what it is today. Francis Ford Coppola Winery currently offers

eleven distinct brands: Francis Coppola Reserve, Archimedes, Eleanor, Director’s Cut, Director’s, Diamond Collection, Votre Santé, Rosso & Bianco, Sofia, Su Yuen and the new addition of the Gia by Gia Coppola line. Family and tradition are important to the Coppolas, something reflected not only in the design of the winery but their wines themselves. A favorite among collectors, Archimedes, named for Coppola’s “Uncle Archie,” is a complex and rich Cabernet Sauvignon with an alluring spice quality and overtones of black cherries and ripe red plums. Delicately designed, Votre Santé honors Coppola’s paternal grandmother who always toasted “À votre santé” (“To your health”) at family gatherings. Offering Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the Chateau Red, Votre Santé wines are crafted in the French tradition using Dijon clones and Burgundian winemaking techniques, making them light and delectable on the palate. Rosso & Bianco wines are crafted with the philosophy of wine for everyday life. The Coppolas believe wine is a fundamental component of family gatherings, and treating all who visit as family, it was Francis Coppola’s personal request that this particular brand always be offered complimentary to guests of the winery.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery 300 Via Archimedes Geyserville, CA 95441 (707) 857-1400

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Photo Credits: Francis Ford Coppola Winery

OFF THE EASEL MAGAZINE – SPRING 2014