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Francis Ford Coppola, California
For the first time in Australia, Europa Cellars is proud to bring you the exciting wines from Francis Ford Coppola Presents.
It started over 30 years ago, when Francis and Eleanor Coppola and their kids were living in San Francisco. Being from a winemaking background (Francis' grandfather, Agostino Coppola, made wine in the basement of his apartment building in New York City) the Coppolas were eager to find a small cottage in Napa Valley as a weekend retreat where they could make a little homemade wine. The family cottage they so desired turned out to be the great Niebaum Mansion on the famed Inglenook Estate. Suddenly, the prospect of restoring that legendary property sounded more exciting than making a little bit of wine in the basement. This restoration turned into a 30-year endeavour.
In 2006, the building of a new winery in Sonoma at long last gave a home to the ever-popular Diamond Collection and Rosso & Bianco brands. The Coppolas' aim was and still is to create quality wines that reflect the gracious style of everyday living, to be shared and enjoyed by their family and friends, as well as, today, all over the world. Corey Beck, born and raised in Sonoma County, is the talented and innovative winemaker of the Coppola wines.
Francis Ford Coppola Presents, Rosso & Bianco
Francis Coppola grew up with wine on the family table because his grandfather and uncles made homemade wine in the basement of their New York apartment using grapes that had been shipped by train from California. The Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso & Bianco range was created as a tribute to these family traditions, and to produce affordable, yet highly pleasurable wines to match their philosophy of wine as an integral part of everyday life. “One of my favorite projects this last year has been creating the new image of Rosso & Bianco wines and planning the renovation of our new Sonoma County winery. Rosso & Bianco are, by the way, my Uncle Kiki’s (opera composer and conductor Anton Coppola) favorite everyday wine. I wanted to give these wines a permanent home, and so I have bestowed on my new facility in Sonoma the name, Francis Ford Coppola Presents, Rosso & Bianco Winery!” –Francis Ford Coppola
2007 FFC Presents Bianco Pinot Grigio, California / Shelf Price $24.00 / Pre-arrival Price $19.20
A blend of 89% Pinot Grigio, 6% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Chardonnay, sourced from two different California appellations: Pinnacles Bench in Monterey, a cool climate region with coastal influences; and Clarksburg, an area near Lodi, which extreme warm daytime weather is offset by cool afternoon breezes from the delta. The wine as a lovely pale citron colour. Vibrant and zesty, with intense floral aromas that mingle with cool melon and tropical fruit, and a light crisp mouthfeel, which is complemented by fresh peach, ripe pear, and pink grapefruit flavours.
2006 FFC Presents Rosso Classic, California / Shelf Price $24.00 /Pre-arrival Price $19.20
A blend of 48% Zinfandel, 27% Syrah and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from Lodi and Paso Robles wine regions. This wines shows lovely rich and juicy layers of sweet dark fruits, boysenberry pie, cloves, a touch of vanilla and mildy toasted oak. It has a supple texture, soft and round tannins, and nice weight. Perfect for everyday drinking.
Sofia
With movies like The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette on her repertoire, Sofia Coppola has certainly received a fair share of her father's talent. The family ties between the Coppolas are strong, and this Sofia range began as a gift from father to daughter.
2007 Sofia Blanc de Blanc(sparkling),Monterey County/ Shelf Price $40.00 / Pre-arrival Price$32.00
82% Pinot Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Muscat, from Monterey County fruit. The 2007 Sofia Blanc de Blancs exudes fresh aromas of apple, peach & apricot, and tropical fruit, mixed with a perfumed lemony fragrance. Vibrant and crisp, displaying bright flavours on the palate and seductive notes of honeysuckle (from the Muscat) on the finish.
Diamond Collection
A definite step-up in quality and complexity from the previous ranges, yet remaining well-priced, the Diamond Collection wines are made from fruit sourced from various sites in California. The aim is to produce high quality wines displaying pure varietal expressions.
2007 Diamond Collection Sauvignon Blanc, California / Shelf Price $32.00/ Pre-arrival Price $25.60
Grapes were sourced from 3 different locations (Napa Valley, Alexander Valley and Mendocino County) giving the wine great complexity and stunning Sauvignon blanc aromatics. The 2007 has a pale straw colour. A nose of luscious pink grapefruit, tropical fruit, and fig leads to a fresh and vibrant palate. Summer melon, lemongrass, and a hint of gooseberry lingers on the finish.
2007 Diamond Collection Chardonnay,Monterey County/ Shelf Price $32.00 / Pre-arrival Price $25.60
Whole-cluster pressing and a combination of barrel and stainless steel fermentation. Bright golden yellow colous. Juicy apple, guava and melon aromas abound on the nose, and the palate follows with apple, cantaloupe, pear and crème brulée. A creamy and smooth texture is beautifully balanced by the fresh acidity, charateristic of cool-climate Monterey fruit.
2006 Diamond Collection Zinfandel, California / Shelf Price $34.00 / Pre-arrival Price $27.20
Sourced from old vines in Amador County (located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills about 45 miles southeast of Sacramento), and cooler vineyard sites in Paso Robles and Sonoma. 5% Petite Sirah is blended in to contribute to the tannin and structure, while balancing out Zinfandel's inherent 'jammy' nature. The wine has a beautiful dark fuchsia colour. Perfumed nose of briary blackberry, strawberry, toasted vanilla and sweet spices is followed by a generous palate showing strawberry jam, cassis and juicy plums. Great complexity and balance.
2006 Diamond Collection Merlot, California / Shelf Price $38.00 / Pre-arrival Price $30.40
The 2006 growing season was long and cool, allowing the grapes to hang on the vine and mature longer. As a result, this Merlot delivers exceptional concentration and impressive length. To enrich the colour, small amounts of Syrah and Petite Sirah (2% and 6% respectively) are added. The wine is aged in small French oak barrels for 14 months. The wine has a dark purple-red colour. Intense aromatics of raspberry, blueberry and chocolate lead to flavours of crushed berries, vanilla, and leather, encased in a soft, smooth tannin structure. The finish shows a lovely finesse and balance.
2006 Diamond Collection Pinot Noir, Monterey County / Shelf Price $40.00 / Pre-arrival Price $32.00
"People are saying that 2006 could be the best Pinot Noir vintage in ten years, and I would have to agree." Corey Beck, winemaker. The wine has exceptionally dark colour, which is not typical of this varietal. It exhibits explosive aromatics Crushed raspberries, cranberries, and wild lavender) and impressive concentration, due in large part to the well-draining soils of the Monterey vineyards. Red, ripe cherries, cranberries, and an intriguing spice component on the palate. Tannins are supple, contributing to the wonderfully plush texture, and the finish on this wine is extremely lengthy.
2006 Diamond Collection Claret, California / Shelf Price $42.00 / Pre-arrival Price $33.60
“Our prize offering... a new, ultra premium, Francis Ford Coppola Black Label Claret. This label honors the first California Cabernet blended in a Bordeaux style, done by Gustave Niebaum in 1910. This newly designed label and package are designated “1910 type” after one of the classic California blends of 1910. This is truly timeless quality in a classic blend style, available at a price my friends can afford!” —Francis Ford Coppola
All five Bordeaux varieties are used in this blend (with Cabernet Sauvignon making up the bulk at 79%) from grapes sourced from Napa and Sonoma, as well as the warmer El Dorade region. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes were sourced from Coppola's estate vines in Geyserville, Sonoma. The long growing season of 2006 made things easy (or easier!) for winemaker Corey Beck: "We didn’t start harvesting until after Labor Day, a winemaker’s dream." The Claret displays an inky dark magenta. The nose shows plum, blackberry, mocha and crème brulée. The palate is deep, rich, and firmly structured and offers succulent flavours of wild berries, cassis, and anise. A full-bodied and extremely rewarding wine.
Director's Cut
In honour of the new winery finished in 2006, this line of all-Sonoma wines were created. The wines represent winemaker Corey Beck's personal vision (with the analogy to the director's vision while filming) of making varietal wines which express true appellation character. The range, as seen by the design of the labels, also pays homage to the history of filmmaking in America.
2006 Director's Cut Chardonnay, Russian River Valley / Shelf Price $39.00 / Pre-arrival Price $31.20
The Russian River Valley climate is shaped by a regular intrusion of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. This fog, which arrives in the evening and retreats the following morning, allows for a greater contrast in the day-night temperatures, and causes the grapes to ripen more slowly. This, together with a mixture of well-drained soils and low cropping levels, ensures grapes with intense flavour and complexity. Grapes are crushed whole-cluster and fermented entirely in French oak barrels to produce a wine with a seductive, round texture and notes of sweet vanilla. Profuse aromatics of honeysuckle, orange blossoms, and ripe pear are folded into classic Russian River flavours of green apple, tropical fruit and citrus.Not only does this technique create a lavish character, it works to highlight the green apple, honeysuckle, and citrus flavors, which are the hallmark of Russian River vineyards.
2006 Director's Cut Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley / Shelf Price $42.00 / Pre-arrival Price $33.60
There are two methodologies for growing Zinfandel in Dry Creek Valley. Ons consists of traditional farming practices, which includes the dry-farming of head-trained, spur-pruned vines, that are quite mature and severly thinned in the spring to produce low yields. The other employs more modern methods, including bilateral cordon, spur-pruned on-wire trellising, drop irrigation, and carefully manicured canopies. The grapes for the Director's Cut are sourced from vineyards on the benchlands and hillsides, which are farmed both ways. 9% Petite Sirah is added for structure. The nose of this wine shows invigorating aromas of cherry, black currant and rum & raisin, which are followed by a rich and fleshy palate, brimming with flavours of sweet strawberry jam, briary blackberries, and toasted spices.
Director's Cut Pinot Noir, Sonoma / Shelf Price $50.00 / Pre-arrival Price $40.00
The Sonoma Coast appellation encompasses the entire Sonoma County coastline, which extends form the Carneros appellation in the south to the Russian River Valley appellation in the northeast. The strong influence from the Pacific Ocean causes this appellation to remain relatively cool throughout the growing season, yet receive enough sunlight for the Pinot Noir grapes to reach optimum ripeness. The grapes are harvested early in the morning, and cold soaked prior to fermentation. The latter takes place in open top fermenters. This wine is extremely dark and dense, and offers tantalizing flavours of crushed cranberries, cherry, and strawberry as well as exotic notes of sandalwood and spice box. A silky texture, soft tannins and fine balance compliments the palate, and the finish lingers in the mouth.
2006 Director's Cut Cabernet Sauvignon,Alexander Valley / Shelf Price $53.00 / Pre-arrival Price$42.40
The grapes for the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon come from Sonoma's illustrious Alexander valley. This long, narrow valley boasts a great diversity of soils, as well as temperatures (the southern part is the first to receive the fog from the coast, and is therefore cooler than the north). All these factors contribute to the complexity of the flavours in the grapes, and these are directly reflected in the structure and essence of the wine. The Director's Cut Cabernet delivers enticing aromas of cola, cherry, and eucalyptus before revealing dark, rich berries, cassis and clack cherries, which is typical of fruit grown in the Alexander Valley. Well seasoned for 24 months in new (60%) and used (40%) French oak, the tannins have a velvet-like texture, and the wine as a whole displays magnificent structure and poise.
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