Inglenook

In Food & Beverages, San Francisco Bay Area April 15, 2016

Whether you are a wine novice or expert, a visit to a winery is a great way to learn more about wine. Touching the grapes, walking around the estate, smelling the damp caves, tasting the wine, and learning the stories can make the complex world of wine less daunting.

Francis Ford Coppola first became involved with winemaking in 1975 when he purchased his first piece of the vineyard with the proceeds from the first “Godfather” film. The estate changed names over time and he never wavered from wanting to preserve pieces of the Inglenook estate’s history. In 2011 he spent more money buying back the rights to the name “Inglenook” than he spent purchasing the entire estate.

Outside the cafe at Inglenook — Outside the cafe

We were welcomed with a 2014 Inglenook Blancaneaux.

Blancaneaux is Inglenook's white Rhone-style blend that's produced in extremely limited quantities. Its grapes are harvested from vines that are more than ten years old and received afternoon shade from Mt. St John. — Blancaneaux is Inglenook’s white Rhone-style blend that’s produced in extremely limited quantities. Its grapes come from vines that are more than ten years old and received afternoon shade from Mt. St John.

Francis Ford Coppola film museum at Inglenook

The Caves

The Vines

We went outside to the learn about the vigorous Zinfandel vines.

Zinfandel grapes have a high sugar content and grow in tight bunches making them susceptible to “bunch rot.” Proper pruning prevents this from happening.

Salon Tasting

While you can certainly hop around Napa Valley on your own or attend tastings in your area, there is something magical about experiencing a scheduled tasting at the estate. Most wineries have a variety of tastings to choose from at different price points.