Francis Ford Coppola Archives - Wine Country Getaways

Swimming at Francis Ford Coppola

May 23, 2015 by Joe Becerra

Swimming at Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Swimming at Francis Ford Coppola

Yes, it is possible to go swimming at Francis Ford Coppola winery. Taste wine, eat lunch, play Bocce, and swim; all can be done at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville. The winery has it all for the family and the swimming pool is now open until September 27, 2015. The hours are from 11am to 6pm daily. Alongside the pool, the winery provides Cabines. These are small, private cabin-type structures complete with a shower. The pool is divided into two areas and totals 3600 square feet. There are lifeguards on duty. A family can reserve swimming passes and a Cabine. All details about the swimming pool and Cabines are on the Francis Ford Coppola Website. A family can make a complete day at the winery: taste wine and take a tour. Do a 1.25-mile educational vineyard walk. Have lunch at the Rustic Cafe. Play a game of Bocce on one of the four professional Bocce courts. Take a sunbath and swim, and enjoy the wonderful views of the Alexander Valley. The winery is located about ten minutes north of Healdsburg. Take Independence Lane Exit from Highway 101. This beautiful winery is to the west of Highway 101.

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Wine Country Bocce Party

May 24, 2014 by Joe Becerra

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.

A Day in Rutherford’s Dust

July 18, 2011 by Joe Becerra

This past week we had the good fortune to participate in the Rutherford Dust Society’s annual wine tasting “A Day in the Dust” at the historic Rubicon Estate Winery in the Napa Valley. It was a wonderful tasting followed by a gourmet luncheon in the historic barrel room, complete with a surprise visit from the man himself, owner of Rubicon Estate Francis Ford Coppola. We tasted 22 wines in two flights of eleven each. The wines were all 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends from the Rutherford AVA.

The renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff , who years ago branded the term “Dust,” said: “It takes Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet.” Some people think that wines from this region have a unique soil characteristic that can be tasted in the wines. I have never been able to ascertain that taste, but what I do know about these wines is that they are wonderfully-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon wines to be enjoyed now, or to be aged in order to gain even further perfection.

Inglenook Winery Comes Full Circle

April 15, 2011 by Joe Becerra

I remember, on one of my first trips to the Napa Valley in the late 1960’s, driving down the entrance lane to visit the Inglenook Winery. I was mesmerized by the beauty and majesty of the Inglenook Chateau. At that time, the winery was in the hands of the Allied Grape Growers. When the legendary John Daniel Jr. sold Inglenook in 1964, the mystifying sale resonated throughout the Valley. I also remember entering the Chateau and browsing in a wine room to the right of the entrance doors. In the room, Allied was selling old bottles of the Inglenook wines. John Daniel Jr. made those wines and the Cabernet Sauvignon was renowned throughout the world. The Allied takeover sent the winery in the opposite direction, and since that time the name has been associated with plain and simple jug wine.