After a week of wonderful wines in California's Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, I am back home, back to work, back to reality. So it is with vacation; it always comes to an end.
While in Sonoma, we visited the expansive Francis Ford Coppola Winery (pronounced COPE-ah-la, not cup-OH-la, please!). It is a large estate complete with restaurants, numerous bars, movie memorabilia, and even a swimming pool for guests.
We tasted through many of their fine wines and toured the beautiful grounds on a sunny afternoon.
Jeff and I among the Coppola vines
Their production is massive and efficient, their staff knowledgeable and welcoming.
Back home, a bottle of the Francis Coppola Diamond Red Blend awaited on my countertop...
...along with piles of mail and unread newspapers.
Winemaker Corey Beck and team source grapes for this blend from several vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Lodi and El Dorado. As with many red wine blends, this starts with Zinfandel, but only 27%, along with 26% Syrah, and 20% Petite Sirah. That is enough to give this wine some structural balance. The blend is rounded out with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, then aged in French oak for one year.
Dark berry and graham cracker aromas are supported with vanilla and a hint of spiciness. The front palate reveals sweet plum and cherry followed by a good hit of spice and a finish of bright cranberry which lingers a bit. The front palate is soft but there is a bit of chew on the finish.
The Diamond Red Blend is a comfortable drink with a pleasant balance of fruit, spice and lingering soft tannins.
Sorting through bills, credit card offers, magazines and catalogs was a relaxing effort with my glass of Coppola's wine.
