Bocce courts Archives - Wine Country Getaways

About Francis Ford Coppola: Wine, food, and much more in Geyserville

There is something for everyone at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville, ten minutes north of Healdsburg on Highway 101. The is one of the more spectacular wineries on the Geyserville Wine Trail. The entrance view is breathtaking and it continues on to a wonderful experience for wine country travelers. The chateau was built in 1973 and was called Chateau Souverain. For years Chateau Souverain had a famous café run by a young chef by the name of Gary Danko. We all know that today Gary Danko has one of the most famous restaurants in San Francisco, Gary Danko’s. Chateau Souverain changed hands many times, and finally in 2005 the Australian company Fosters sold the entire facitility to Francis Ford Coppola. The Chateau Souverain label continues and the wine is mass produced at another facility. The label is still owned by Fosters. Francis Ford Coppola decided to take the winery up several notches. He did a total renovation. He remodeled the restaurant and it is now called Rustic. He kept the existing grounds and added a very large swimming pool, cabanans, and an outdoor terrace area complete with a bar and beverage area. He also added a stage for entertainment. There are four beautiful, professional Bocce courts for all guests to use. We hold our annual WCG Bocce Tournament here at the Coppola Winery. Inside the Chateau is the tasting room, a bar, and a fantastic shop for visitors. In the merchandise shop the main attraction is the Tucker car. If you have seen the movie “Tucker,” this would be an interesting attraction for you to view. We like dining at the Rustic restaurant. When the weather is nice, the patio area of the restaurant provides spectacular views of the Alexander Valley. If you have time, take the tour offered by the winery. As you walk up the stairs to the main portion of the winery, you can find out the options for tasting wine and touring the winery at the desk.

Additional information on the Geyserville area

A friendly disagreement on the Bocce Court. Always bring a measuring tape.

How to plan a wine country Bocce party

As we swing into the tourist season in wine country and you plan your next wine country getaway with your friends, think about playing a game or two of Bocce at a winery. This is exactly what we have done once a year for the past ten years. There are several wineries that have one or more Bocce courts for visitors. We have played with our group at Larson Family Winery, Brutacao, and Francis Ford Coppola. Here is a complete list of wineries in California wine regions that have at least one Bocce court.

This past week, we gathered our group of friends for an enjoyable and highly competitive all-day Bocce tournament at the Francis Ford Coppola winery. They have four beautiful Bocce Courts and we used three for the tournament. We reserved the courts well in advance for a weekday and arranged for Coppola’s Rustic Restaurant to serve us a buffet lunch of sandwiches and salads on the lovely winery terrace.

We had seven couples play in the Bocce tournament. The great thing about Bocce is that, at this level, everyone has a chance to win. We do a complete round robin tournament, meaning each team plays all of the other teams at least once. We modify the rules a little to speed up the game. Here are some Bocce tips. Be sure to bring a tape measurer to settle any arguments about which ball is closer to the Pallino.

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We plan other wine country activities around the tournament. The day before the Bocce games we meet at a winery for a tour, tasting and lunch. This time around we chose Truett-Hurst in the Dry Creek Valley. What a beautiful and peaceful spot to enjoy food and wine. Most of us stop at Big John’s Market in Healdsburg beforehand to order deli sandwiches or choose from the delicious items in their salad bar. More on the Truett Hurst Winery.

We booked rooms at the Geyserville Inn, which is very close to our Bocce venue at the Francis Ford Coppola winery. The inn has a beautiful outdoor area and we meet there for wine and appetizers before heading off to dinner. Have you eaten at the Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria in Geyserville? This Italian restaurant is a gem in the Sonoma wine country. The restaurant recently added a wonderful patio area and, when the weather is accommodating, it is a delightful place to dine. We arranged for a special menu and as you can see from the photo in slide show, Diavola treated us like VIP’s!

Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg is our “go-to” destination for breakfast on our final day. The bakery supplies a wide assortment of bread and pastries for many restaurants in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa. They also serve a fabulous full breakfast. Most of us then spend a couple of hours or more in Healdsburg. We think it is the best town in any wine country region in California. There is something there for all.

So let’s get going here on your first Bocce game. Start small, perhaps with two or three couples. Choose a winery with Bocce courts and head out for a fun and exciting time in wine county.