Category Archives: Sonoma Valley

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, CA 95441

Website: https://www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com/

It came as a surprise to me when I first learned that Francis Ford Coppola owned a winery in Sonoma. I knew he owned the Ingelnook Estate (formerly Niebaum Coppola or Rubicon) because I had visited it on my first trip to Napa Valley. It is an interesting winery but draws in a huge amount of tourists. I originally didn’t have a strong desire to see Coppola’s winery in Sonoma because I expected it to focus more on his movie career than on producing wine. Yet we stopped in because there is a restaurant on site and we needed a bite to eat while visiting some of the other wineries in the area. Besides, my husband is a movie buff. My expectation was accurate but I was pleasantly surprised with all that the winery has to offer.

This place is more than just a winery. It is a resort with a huge outdoor pool and cafe, a movie gallery, a restaurant, a winery and a tasting room. Their website describes this place as a “wine wonderland” for both adults and children. Coppola obviously spared no expense to create this winery. A grand staircase leads up to the entrance that was modeled after the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. Inside, there is a two floor Movie Gallery that showcases Coppola’s movie memorabilia, including his Academy Awards, the desk from The Godfather movies, and other props from his many films. There is a tasting bar on both floors. We found the tasting bar on the top floor to be much less busy. The winery has a wide selection of wines, some of which may be found in a local grocery store or wine outlet. My favorites were the Francis Coppola Reserve wines that are sold exclusively through the winery.

Rustic restaurant is situated on the first floor. If nothing else, it is worth stopping in to eat at the restaurant. However, beware that the restaurant gets very busy during peak lunch and dinner hours. The first time I visited the winery, my husband and I had no problem getting in to eat at 3 p.m. in the afternoon. The second time I visited with my friend Denise around 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, there was at least a 45 minute wait to get a seat and people were lined up outside the entrance. There is an outdoor seating area that is gorgeous on a nice day looking out on the vineyard. The menu includes thin crust pizzas, pastas, and a variety of other selections. The food and service were excellent! I would definitely return to the restaurant and recommend it to others during their less busy time.

This place really does try to offer something for everyone. Visitors can stop in for a quick tasting or a bite to eat, or they can stay longer and take advantage of all that the resort has to offer. The Pavilion near the pool hosts all kinds of daytime and nighttime entertainment. There is also a selection of wine tours available by reservation. This winery may be a little over the top for those solely interested in wine, but it is a fun place for people looking for a more unique experience.

Twomey Winery – Healdsburg

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Twomey Healdsburg Winery

3000 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95548

Website: https://www.twomey.com/healdsburg

Twomey Cellars has two locations, one in Napa and the other in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma. This winery is owned by the Silver Oak family who is very well known for their prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon. David and Tim Duncan started Twomey in 1999 because they wanted to spread their wings into other varietals. They have been applying their wine expertise to create food-friendly wines like Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Twomey Healdsburg Tasting Room

My husband and I visited the Sonoma winery. The winery is located right outside the town of Healdsburg. It is a modern facility that blends into the landscape. Out front of the tasting room is a large stone wall with a waterfall. A tall glass doorway leads into the tasting room and glass windows continue all along the back side of tasting room looking out onto a patio and vineyards. The tasting room is wide open with a very modern flair. The tasting bar is white with a metal counter top situated toward the left corner looking toward the patio. There are cool pendant lights hanging from the wood panel ceiling over the bar. The room is quite spacious. On the right side of the room is some seating. There’s also a gift area across from the tasting bar. Guests are welcome to taste at the bar, grab a seat around the room, or go outside to the patio with a nice view of the valley.

Twomey’s tasting menu included samplings of their three varietals – Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. I got to sample a 2006 and a 2009 Napa Valley Merlot side-by-side. It’s always intriguing to me to get to compare wines like this and see how different they can vary from one year to the next. The 2006 was smoky and could pair with steak while the 2009 had a lot of cherry and would pair well with BBQ. My personal favorite from the tasting was the Bien Nacido Pinot Noir with rich berries and mocha flavors. It was velvety smooth. I had a few bottles shipped home.

Valley of the Moon at Madrone Estate

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Valley of the Moon at Madrone Estate

777 Madrone Rd, Glen Ellen, CA 95442

Website: http://www.valleyofthemoonwinery.com/

Valley of the Moon Winery at Madrone Estate is located in the southern end of Sonoma Valley. It neighbors B. R. Cohn winery. The stone structures of the winery date back to 1863, making it the oldest operating winery in Glen Ellen. Since that time the winery has gone through several owners and was converted to a more contemporary winemaking facility in 1998 when Heck Estates purchased the property. The most currently owners, Dan Zepponi and Tony Stewart of West Cost Wine Partners LLC, purchased the winery in 2012. Despite the modern winemaking facility, the winery takes pride in its history as they state on their website, “As we celebrate the renaissance of Valley of the Moon Winery, our mission is clear: To at last honor the rich history of our Sonoma Valley winery, its true sense of place and sustained sense of purpose with wines of exceptional quality and of genuine provenance.”

Historic barrel cellar at Madrone Estate

The name “Valley of the Moon” is what enticed me to visit. I had driven by it on several occasions on my way to different wineries but was always intrigued by the name. There is nothing on the website that indicates how the winery got its name, so I did a little research of my own. There is a legend of Valley of the Moon that is tied to a book of the same name written by Jack London in 1913. In the book, London claims that Sonoma is a Native American word that means Valley of the Moon. Although there is some dispute about this translation, Sonoma is often referred to as Valley of the Moon today.

Valley of the Moon at Madrone Estate Tasting Room

The renovated winery is elegant, warm, and inviting all at the same time. The entire facility is rather large. From the outside, the woodsy looking exterior blends in nicely with the surrounding landscape. The original barrel cellar from the 1800s is still in use. My favorite part of the property is the field of old vines right out front of the winery. I couldn’t resist stopping to take a picture before heading into the tasting room. In contrast, the interior has a very modern feel. The tasting room is very spacious with a large semi-circular stone tasting bar on the left side of the room. There are several tables with chairs scattered throughout the room. There was a small lounge area to the left of the tasting bar. Outside is more tables under umbrellas right next to the vines. I felt that the staff was friendly in welcoming us to the winery, but they didn’t offer a ton of information about the wines that they poured for my husband and me. There is a good selection of wines at three different tier levels – Reserve, Madrone Estate, and Valley of the Moon. The Valley of the Moon wines are the more commonly distributed ones. They actually did not talk much about those wines during the tasting. The tasting menu was all of the Madrone Estate or Reserve wines. Overall, I enjoyed the winery and appreciate the old vine wines the most.

Old vines at Madrone Estate

Wine Tourist

My journeys in wine country.

Category Archives: Sonoma Valley

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Twomey Winery – Healdsburg

Valley of the Moon at Madrone Estate