*** * ***

Niebaum-Coppola
http://www.niebaum-coppola.com/
Niebaum~Coppola Estate, Vineyards & Winery
1991 St. Helena Highway
Rutherford, CA 94573
Map

Francis Ford Coppola has been making movies for more than 30 years, and wines at his Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery in the Napa Valley for almost 20. In February 1995, he purchased the remaining part of the original estate--the massive stone Inglenook Chateau and its adjacent vineyards. This purchase reunited Gustave Niebaum's original Napa Valley estate established in 1879 and preserves his legacy for future generations.

We reviewed his restaurant in Palo Alto, California. He also has a location at 916 Kearney Street, San Francisco, California ( in the North Beach section.)

He makes some excellent wine. His Diamond Series Merlot is particularly a good buy, often available at $12.99 at Cost Plus or other discounters. It is aged in oak 12 months and has Syrah added to it, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. It gives it a more food wine taste, particularly with meats, Italian food, and for the price is definitely a best buy. Note, earlier additions were aged less, but contained Cabernet Sauvignon. I would not say the wine is consistent in taste, but definitely constant in quality. Each vintage is different.

The Estate Wine is the top of the line, and rare to find. It is available at the winery. I think the best is the Cabernet Franc. It is outstanding. The 2000 was aged in Oak for 18 months. Another wine would get too "oakey," but this grape aged beautifully. The bad news he made only 1841 cases.

Now Coppola likes his RC Reserve Syrah perhaps the best, aged 21 months in oak; 84% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot; 588 cases ( six bottles to a case).

You've got to go to the winery to get the best stuff.

Since 1963, I have made it a practice to go to the wineries. If you buy by the case, you get a discount. If you join their club, you get a further discount. More importantly, you can buy "big bottles," meaning double magnums and larger, plus get the top wine that only top wine brokers can obtain.

Today the wineries really put on a show, and have become "destinations," plus bed and breakfasts and resorts surround them in Napa, Sonoma, Carmel, Santa Barbara and elsewhere.

You can buy wine in Napa, and store it, if you don't want to ship it all home (they will do it for you, or keep until your next visit, such as 55 Degrees.

.