Inglenook Estate
1991 St Helena Hwy, Rutherford, CA 94573
Website: https://www.inglenook.com/
There is a lot of history behind the Inglenook Estate. It has gone through several owners and a few name changes over the years. The original property dates back to the 1870s when it was owned by a bank manager named William C. Watson. Watson called the property “Inglenook” which comes from a Scottish expression meaning “cozy corner”. In 1880, a Finnish sea captain and wealthy Alaskan fur trader named Gustave Niebaum purchased the Inglenook property, along with 200 acres of farmland. He wanted to fulfill his dream of becoming a winemaker and produce world-class wines. In 1887, he began construction of the Inglenook Chateau that still stands on the property today. Niebaum succeeded in creating premium wines that were consumed internationally before he passed away in 1908. His wife continued operation of the winery after his death until Prohibition began in 1919. Then his wife’s grand-nephew, John Daniel Jr., took leadership of the winery after Prohibition was repealed until 1964 when he sold the property and 1,500 acres of the estate to Allied Grape Growers.
Today the property may be better known for its current owner Francis Ford Coppola. In 1975, Coppola came upon the property while he was looking for a summer home where he could also make a little wine. He and his wife Eleanor purchased the Inglenook Estate including the Chateau in 1975. At the time the “Inglenook” name was owned by a different wine company. Coppola instead named the place Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery representing the winery’s history. Since that time, Francis Ford Coppola spent 25 years reuniting the Estate’s original vineyards and restored winemaking to the Chateau. In 2006, Coppola renamed the property to Rubicon Estate in honor of its flagship wine. Then in April 2012, the Inglenook brand name went up for sale and Coppola purchased it returning the property to its original name.
Cafe at Inglenook Estate
This winery is a big tourist attraction. The Chateau and grounds are beautiful with the fountain out front and the grand staircase that greets guests immediately upon entering the Chateau. Inside the Chateau there are two tasting rooms, the Mammarella European café style wine bar, and a retail room that sells unique merchandise from locations that Francis and Eleanor have visited around the world (some of them collector’s items). On the top floor, there is a Centennial Museum with artifacts from the Inglenook winery. Inglenook Estate also offers several different tours. I have visited this winery twice. The first time was in 2005 and I took the Legacy Tour. The tour guide took us for a walk around the grounds while talking about the history of the estate. We finished with a seated tasting. Although I found the tour informative, I felt like this winery was a tourist trap. It was extremely busy and felt gimmicky focusing on Coppola’s career and wealthy lifestyle. Since that time, the winery has shifted from being open for drop in tastings to requiring reservations. I think this has greatly improved the crowds and lines of tour groups because all guests now need to check in before getting through the gates.
Heritage Tasting in the Library Room
On my second visit my husband and I made a reservation for the Heritage Tasting experience. We were ushered into a quiet tasting library where we were seated at our own table and served by a host. We got to sample five wines, including the acclaimed Rubicon. The wines were accompanied by a plate of bread and cheese. I enjoyed this intimate experience much more than my first visit. I appreciate the strides Francis Ford Coppola has made to bring back the history of the winery, but some of the “stardom” of Coppola’s life still remains. The wines are premium, being produced by French winemaker Phillippe Bascaules who came from one of Bordeaux’s top 5 estates Chateau Margaux. The prices reflect that. Although, one could argue that the prices are still reasonable compared to other Napa cult wines.
If history is what interests you, Inglenook is worth a visit. If you are a big Francis Ford Coppola fan, I recommend making a trip to the Francis Ford Coppola winery in Sonoma. That winery produces the more common Coppola wines and also houses a museum with memorabilia and awards from Coppola’s movies.