2021 Francis Ford Coppola Eleanor Red Wine Sonoma County 750 ml

Long before it was seen as an easy way to gin up a new revenue stream, before every athlete and entertainer in the US was slapping their name on a bottle, Francis Ford Coppola was making wine in Napa Valley. 

Coppola, the legendary artist and filmmaker behind Apocalypse Now, Megalopolis, and The Godfather, hails from a large Italian-American family, and wine and food were always a huge part of his life. He met his wife Eleanor in 1962, when she worked in the art department on one of his films. They fell in love, moved to San Francisco, had children, and dreamed of having a little country house in Napa Valley. 

They never got the little house. Instead, in 1975, they bought 1,500 acres of the historic Inglenook estate in Rutherford—The Godfather had been a moderate success—and began making small amounts of wine for friends and family while restoring the estate. Eventually, the Coppolas named the estate Niebaum-Coppola, a tribute to Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum, who had founded the estate back in 1879. The Coppolas later changed the name of the Rutherford property Rubicon Estate, before finally acquiring the rights to call it Inglenook once again. 

Though the name has changed, one thing has remained consistent over the years: outstanding wines. 

In 2006, the Coppolas expanded their operation into Sonoma County, when they purchased Alexander Valley’s Château Souverain. They renovated the estate and reopened in 2010. Alexander Valley, home of Vérité, Silver Oak, and Jordan, is Sonoma County’s epicenter for world-class Cabernet. 

Just like in Napa Valley, the 2021 vintage was absolutely spectacular on the west side of the Mayacamas, and it shows in the 2021 Eleanor, which comprises Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and a handful of other grapes. Aged for 18 months in 80% new French oak barrels, it’s rich and dense on the palate, with a plush mouthfeel and lingering notes of spice carried on well-knit tannins. 

We’re thrilled to offer you this iconic wine, especially at such a fantastic discount. Do not miss it!