The tradition of Sofia wines originated with the sparkling Blanc de Blancs, which was a gift from Francis Ford Coppola to his daughter Sofia. Over the years the Sofia collection has grown to incorporate the ever-popular Sofia Minis (the same effervescent Sofia Blanc de Blancs blend, in stylish pink 187 mililiter cans), Riesling, Rosé and now Chardonnay.

In celebration of the release of the 2012 Sofia Chardonnay, adorned with a beautiful peach-colored label, Francis Ford Coppola Winery will be transformed on May 12, Mother’s Day, to offer visitors a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For one day only, the winery will feature large-scale, visually stunning, indoor and outdoor peach balloon installations. Visitors will be treated to complimentary samples of the new Chardonnay paired alongside hand crafted French, peach-colored macaroons. Admission is free. 

A blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Blanc, Sofia Chardonnay’s grapes were grown in the cool climate of Monterey County and display excellent balance, a supple texture and bright flavors of  crisp green apple, white peaches, juicy pears, spices and a hint of citrus. To showcase the intense fruit qualities, 80% of the wine was vinified in stainless steel to preserve the natural state of the fruit, and 20% was fermented in used French oak barrels to add a hint of elegant spice notes.

“My winemaking team and I worked closely with Sofia to fine tune the blend so that it’s a reflection of her personality,” says Corey Beck. “She was instrumental in helping us create this wine – from the design of the label to the wine style in which it’s crafted.”

The 2012 Sofia Chardonnay will be available for purchase at the winery's tasting room and online store, as well as participating restaurants and retailers. For information on the Sofia Chardonnay celebration at the winery on May 12, contact the winery at (707) 857-1471 or guestservices@franciscoppolawinery.com.

In anticipation of the upcoming summer season at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, we will be hosting two upcoming job fairs at Sonoma County Job Link (Santa Rosa Room) on Monday, April 8th and Tuesday, April 9th from 1:30pm-4:30pm.

RUSTIC JOB FAIR
Monday, April 8th, 1:30pm - 4:30pm

Seasonal Positions Include:

• Servers/Asst. Servers, RUSTIC & Pool Cafe
• Host
• Line Cooks
• Dishwashers
• Food Expeditors

We are also hiring for a Food & Beverage Manager.

HOSPITALITY JOB FAIR
Tuesday, April 9th, 1:30pm - 4:30pm 

Seasonal Positions Include:

• Lifeguards
• Tasting Room Associates
• Housekeeping Staff
• On-Call Event Servers

NOTE: Job Fairs will take place at Sonoma County Job Link, 2227 Capricorn Way in Santa Rosa, Room: Santa Rosa Room. For directions: http://bit.ly/YkMjXL

Please bring a form of ID and at least three copies of your résumé.

If you are unable to attend, please submit a cover letter and résumé to employment@franciscoppolawinery.com. Please include position title you are applying for and your name in the subject line.

“With premium production space in high demand, especially in northern Sonoma County, we are thrilled to find a facility just four miles north of Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville,” said Corey Beck. “This exciting expansion will ensure that we have the accommodations to support our network of valued grapegrowers from Sonoma County, as well as the North Coast, and that they have a home to showcase their fruit.”

The Geyser Peak wine label and brand will remain under the ownership of Accolade Wines North America, Inc. who will continue to occupy the tasting room and produce wines at the property. 

“Geyser Peak has been leasing the winemaking facilities and tasting room space for many years and so operations will continue as usual under the new ownership by Francis Ford Coppola Winery,” said Tim Matz, Managing Director of Accolade Wines North America. “Having pleasantly arrived at this arrangement after months of discussion, we look forward to working together.”

In anticipation of the upcoming swim season at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, we will be hosting two upcoming job fairs at Sonoma County Job Link (Santa Rosa Room) on Wednesday, February 20th and Tuesday, February 26th from 1:30pm-4:30pm.

RUSTIC JOB FAIR
Wednesday, February 20th, 1:30pm - 4:30pm

Seasonal Positions Include:

• Servers/Asst. Servers, RUSTIC & Pool Cafe
• Bartenders, Pool Cafe
• Line Cooks
• Dishwashers
• On-Call Event Servers

HOSPITALITY JOB FAIR
Tuesday, February 26th, 1:30pm - 4:30pm 

Seasonal Positions Include:

• Lifeguards
• Tasting Room Associates
• Guest Reception Associates
• Housekeeping Staff
• Parking Attendants

NOTE: Job Fairs will take place at Sonoma County Job Link, 2227 Capricorn Way in Santa Rosa, Room: Santa Rosa Room. For directions: http://bit.ly/YkMjXL

Please bring a form of ID and at least three copies of your résumé.

If you are unable to attend, please submit a cover letter and résumé to employment@franciscoppolawinery.com. Please include position title you are applying for and your name in the subject line.

Thank you kindly for your understanding. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

I was talking with a winemaker friend last week about harvest and her quote was, "It's the vintage of the century." There was a lot of truth to what she said because it will go down as one of California's best harvestsever and there seems to be an endless supply of such great fruit. Every time the phone rang it was a grower with an extra 20 tons of grapes in the field, and the biggest culprit was Zinfandel. Vineyards that historically couldn't give us more than 5 tons/acre all of a sudden yielded 7/acre. So the big question was, how did this happen?

The growing season was ideal in so many ways and it started with a perfect spring that had little to no rain, which was the prelude for a wonderful fruit set. The summer months provided us with heat but it was never too scorching, so the fruit was able to ripen evenly. The first Sauvignon Blanc grapes were picked in August which hasn't happened since 2008. September was dedicated to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. These two varieties came in with amazing flavors and what made it even more special was that the sugars were in the 22-23 Brix range. The resulting wines are loaded with wonderful ripe flavors you expect from the Burgundian varieties but without the high alcohol.

Once October rolled around sprits were soaring here at the winery. The San Francisco Giants won their division to advance to the playoffs and we were realizing we had a very special vintage on our hands. Then the Giants went down 0-2 to the Cincinnati Reds and our grape hoist decided to stop working all on the same day. All wasn't lost because it was our Maintenance team who jumped on the scissor lift and from 25 feet above ground fixed the broken chain on the hoist so we could finish crushing the last 11 grape trucks who had lined our driveway. Then all of a sudden the Giants mounted a historic comeback and disposed of the Reds and our production team was once again revitalized.

Mid-October brought the St. Louis Cardinals to town and Cabernet Sauvignon... and I mean A LOT of Cabernet. No worries though, because quality continued to rise with no rain in sight. Next thing you know the Giants are down three games to one and on the brink of elimination, and our main press just blew a hole in its bladder. Once again it was Maintenance who came to the rescue at 3am, very similar to Barry Zito's Game Five performance against the Cards which helped propel them to the World Series. And because of the efforts of our Maintenance team we were able to continue with our historic vintage.

You all know how the story for the Giants ended up and as for the Production Team, well it was our best vintage since we've been here at the winery. This year more than ever was a total team effort. The Bottling team worked every Saturday in October to keep emptying tanks so we could crush on Sundays. Our Maintenance team did a phenomenal job of keeping equipment running and repairing when they malfunctioned. The Cellar and Lab worked seven days a week for two months straight and made it possible to crush more fruit than ever before, while raising the bar for wine quality. Our winemaking/viticulture team worked with over 150 growers throughout California to produce the best wines ever made at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. In my opinion there's no more talented or dedicated Production team in the industry.

I'm very proud to be a part of such a talented team and it takes everyone from Production to produce world class wines and that's exactly what we did this year. In closing I would like to leave you with the rally cry from this year's harvest: “Limits begin where visions end.”

All full size FC Selects products are decorated with coins inspired by one of the first coins produced in the Basilicata region of Italy, the ancestral home of Francis’s paternal grandfather, Agostino Coppola. Barley, wheat, and other grains are some of the region’s most prolific crops, not to mention kitchen staples. The importance of these crops over the centuries has made them symbols for fertility and prosperity in the area. In the town of Bernalda, where Agostino was born (and where Francis now owns a luxury resort), replications of these ancient Greek coins can be found in the most unlikely of places, such as on a manhole cover nestled in the narrow cobblestone streets.

Additionally, the glass for the oil bottles were hand-selected by Francis Coppola and imported from Italy. A turquoise-colored bottom makes these bottles especially unique and will make great keepsakes long after the dipping oil has been enjoyed.

Here’s a little more about each product, along with pairing ideas:

Stone Ground Mustard – Available in 9 oz. and 2 oz. jars
Hearty yet mellow, this mustard is delicious on sandwiches or with fresh bread or pretzels. Also try with your favorite meats: grilled steak, pork chops, grilled sausages or knockwurst and of course, ham. Spice up potato salad and add flavor in sauce recipes that call for mustard.

Hot Sweet Mustard – Available in 9 oz. and 2 oz. jars
This mustard is sweet with a little heat! Fantastic with chicken or duck sausages. Try rubbing on meats and chicken before grilling or roasting. Serve as an accompaniment to pork tenderloin or smoked ham. Also delicious with fresh bread or dipping with pretzels.

Neapolitan Dipping Oil – Available in 15.2 oz. and 5 oz bottles
The authentic flavors of Italy come through with this delicious dipping oil. Great for dipping with fresh bread, but also excellent tossed with pasta, drizzled over chicken and fish or sautéing vegetables and meats as an alternative to butter. Also great on baked potatoes and French fries.

Garlic Olive Oil – Available in 15.2 oz. & 5 oz. bottles
When you want the fresh flavor of garlic, try our garlic olive oil. Use in salad dressings, marinades, sauces and when sautéing. Just before serving, drizzle in soups or over pasta and finish with grated cheese. Rub on lamb or chicken with some fresh rosemary just before grilling.

Merlot Vinaigrette – Available in 15.2 oz. and 5 oz. bottles
Made with our Diamond Collection Merlot, this vinaigrette is a perfect add-on to a classic Italian panzanella. You can also drizzle over your favorite hearty salad or steamed vegetables to transport your taste buds to the vineyard. Great as a dipping oil for bread, as well.

Chocolate Wine Sauce – Available in 12.5 oz. and 5 oz. bottles / 4.8% abv
Made with dark chocolate and cabernet sauvignon, this sauce is a thick, rich and decadent dessert topping. Try it poured over ice cream, cheesecake, or for dipping strawberries and raspberries. If you drink coffee, it also makes incredible mochas! The alcohol in it acts as a great preservative—an unopened bottle will last 2 years. Once opened, keep refrigerated and it will last about 8 months.

We all have those traditions that make Thanksgiving really feel like Thanksgiving. For the Coppola family, especially Eleanor, it all starts with the stuffing. As we prepare for the holiday this year, we are pleased to share the recipe with you...

Coppola Family Turkey Stuffing
As a child, my grandfather was the cook. He always made our Thanksgiving stuffing and came to our house a day before to prepare it. He brought sliced white bread, cut it in cubes and toasted it slightly in the oven then added lots of melted butter, sage, thyme, parsley, olives, salt and pepper and let it stand overnight to blend the flavors. When I got married and began cooking for my new family, I used Pepperidge Farm Blue label stuffing mix as the base and added ingredients we enjoy. The family expects the same stuffing each year so we've made it on film locations in Italy, Romania, Paris and more, often bringing the ingredients in someone's suitcase. We all gather in the kitchen and chop and mix it together with good music and a glass of wine.

Our family wishes you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
~Eleanor Coppola

Ingredients:
1 large bag of Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing mix (Blue Label), prepare according to directions on package
1 lb mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 cup chopped celery including tender leaves
1 7 oz. jar small Spanish stuffed olives
1 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped (both white and green parts)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs: oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, basil
4-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and stuff turkey cavity loosely. Bake any remaining stuffing in a baking dish coated with butter, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, removing foil during the last 15 minutes. 

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As you celebrate with friends and family this year, enjoy your meal with Votre Santé Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, food-friendly wines that are beautiful accompaniments for all your Thanksgiving traditions.         

This year, 100% of the proceeds from carnival tickets are being donated to the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Sonoma County. Online ticket sales alone resulted in almost $3,000 that will go to support the foundation's Healthy for Life curriculum in northern Sonoma County elementary schools. The program's mission is to improve the health and physical fitness of children in grades K-8 through physical and nutritional educational activities.

We are thrilled to be able to contribute to this program and couldn't have done it without the support of the local families that attended the carnival. Thank you so much and Happy Halloween!

We pride ourselves on having a certain amount of personality in everything we do. Whether its in the unique wine blends we produce, the art on the wine bottles (or cans!) or by, you know, having a pool at a winery, we like to make sure a little of our individuality is shining through. Well, at this year’s Festival Vendemmia, held on an idyllic mid-September evening at the winery, we may have exceeded even our own expectations.

The celebration was our seventh annual Wine Family harvest party but the very first that showcased the winery’s entire pool and park area. Using 1940s Coney Island as inspiration, the winery came to life with the sights, sounds and tastes of a festive carnival (with a little Wine Country twist, of course).

Fun and adventure extended from one end of the park to the other, from the click-click-click of Carmine’s Wheel of Deals spinning throughout the night to the food & wine stations pairing combos like popcorn with Sofia Minis and gelato with Director’s Cabernet, to the “You are the Art” photo booth and the various games and activities all going on at the same time. 

Of course, the entertainment of the evening really helped the event reach new heights… literally so, in the case of the costumed stilt walkers welcoming guests into the winery. Audette Sophia and Catalyst Arts created a fun atmosphere with their ensemble of performers. A juggler rode his unicycle around the pool deck, a mime showed off her quirky sense of humor and Guest Decorators added flair to the faces of Members. 

View Photo Gallery of Festival Vendemmia on Facebook

As dusk turned to nightfall, performers took center stage at the Pavilion. Magician Julian Senorcak kicked off the stage entertainment with sleight-of-hand tricks, followed by the skilled Sword Swallower Tobias Weinberger (musical accompaniment by accordion player Resh Ortega). Closing out the night were an incredible contortionist act and a fire dancing performance that left the crowd (including many employees) awestruck. It was an amazing end to easily one of the best events we have ever hosted.

We sincerely thank everyone who joined us to celebrate this bountiful harvest of 2012, and we cannot wait to provide even more adventure (and personality) next year!