Francis Ford Coppola, the film-maker's California in three tiers
11 bottles, from Californian Sauvignon to Alexander Valley CabernetA spicy Zinfandel for the barbecue, a Sonoma Cabernet to keep for a few years, an oaked Chardonnay for poultry: the range reads in three tiers, from Californian varietal wine to wine from a specific valley. The director of The Godfather set up his winery in Geyserville, in Sonoma County, and makes wines in a generous, ripe, rounded Californian style.
Each tier has its own logic and price range, from €22.90 to €43.80 a bottle, by the case of 6. The two tables below help you choose the tier, then the bottle.
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Lime and passion fruit, a Californian Sauvignon that really snaps.
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Appellation Series Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Appellation Series Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Chardonnay 2021
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Chardonnay 2022
Francis Ford Coppola - Rosso & Bianco Rosso 2018
Francis Ford Coppola - Rosso & Bianco Pinot Grigio 2018
Three tiers, from grape variety to valley
The more precise the origin written on the label, the more character, and the higher the price, the wine has.
| Tier | Origin of the grapes | Grape varieties offered | Price per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Collection, whitesthe varietal wine | California, grapes from several vineyards across the state | Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay | €22.90, by the case of 6 |
| Diamond Collection, redsthe varietal wine | California, grapes from several vineyards across the state | Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon | €22.90 to €25.90, by the case of 6 |
| Diamond Appellation Seriesa named appellation | Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast | Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir | €28.90, by the case of 6 |
| Director's Cut, whitethe top of the Sonoma range | Sonoma County | Chardonnay | €34.80, by the case of 6 |
| Director's Cut, redsa Sonoma AVA | Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel | €41.80 to €43.80, by the case of 6 |
All prices are per bottle; these wines are sold by the case of 6 75 cl bottles.
Five origins, five characters in the glass
The ocean, the fogs and the gap between day and night shape the style of each wine.
| Terroir | Climate and soils | In the glass | The wine to taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| California, state appellation | Grapes from several regions, blended for a consistent style from one vintage to the next | Upfront fruit, sweet spices, round palate | Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022€22.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Paso Robles, Central Coast | Hot days, cool nights, marked temperature swings, limestone soils in places | Ripe Cabernet, black fruit, rounded tannins | Diamond Appellation Series Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019€28.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Santa Barbara County | East–west valleys open to Pacific fogs, slow ripening | Fresh Pinot Noir, cherry, taut acidity | Diamond Appellation Series Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021€28.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Alexander Valley, Sonoma | Warm valley in the north of the county, along the Russian River, Cabernet's favourite ground | Blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, broad structure | Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020€43.80 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma | Narrow valley west of Healdsburg, gravel and alluvial benches, a long Zinfandel tradition | Blackberry, pepper, jammy fruit, spicy finish | Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021€41.80 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
To compare with other winemakers in the state, browse the California section.
A Coppola bottle for every mood
Start with the meal or the moment, and the bottle will follow.
For the barbecue
A round, spicy Zinfandel, black fruit and pepper, that stands up to grilled meats, glazed pork ribs and homemade burgers.
Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022, €22.90 a bottle, by the case of 6For aperitifs
Lime and passion fruit: a lively Californian Sauvignon, to serve well chilled with prawns or a ceviche.
Diamond Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023, €22.90 a bottle, by the case of 6For poultry in cream sauce
A barrel-aged Sonoma Chardonnay, apple, pear and vanilla, at ease with chicken with morels or a lobster.
Director's Cut Chardonnay 2021, €34.80 a bottle, by the case of 6For a red that's all about freshness
A Pinot Noir from the Santa Barbara coast, cherry and forest floor, to serve lightly chilled with salmon or roast poultry.
Diamond Appellation Series Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021, €28.90 a bottle, by the case of 6For a rib of beef
The most ambitious Cabernet in the range, blackcurrant and cedar, to decant an hour before grilled red meat.
Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, €43.80 a bottle, by the case of 6To discover Zinfandel
The valley Zinfandel, denser than the Diamond Collection one: blackberry, pepper and spice, for a chilli or game.
Director's Cut Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021, €41.80 a bottle, by the case of 6All our Zinfandels
California's emblematic grape variety, cousin of Puglia's Primitivo, from other winemakers in the state and beyond.
Zinfandel sectionWines from Sonoma County
Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River: the Sonoma valleys, from sun-drenched Cabernet to fog-cooled Pinot.
Sonoma section
A film-maker in the vineyards of Sonoma
Francis Ford Coppola is first and foremost the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. His Geyserville winery, in the north of Sonoma County, embodies a simple idea: honest, ripe, generous Californian wines, made for the table. Fruit dominates, oak rounds things out, and the alcohol follows the state's sunshine.
The names of the tiers are borrowed from cinema. Director's Cut means the version the director intended; here, these are the wines from specific valleys, Alexander Valley for Cabernet, Dry Creek Valley for Zinfandel. The Diamond Collection forms the foundation: easy-to-read varietal wines, to drink in their first years.
Reading a Californian label
The term California requires grapes harvested in the state. A named county, such as Sonoma County, requires at least 75% of the grapes to come from that county. An AVA, such as Alexander Valley or Paso Robles, requires at least 85%. The narrower the area, the more the wine speaks of a place: that is the whole logic of the three Coppola tiers.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Francis Ford Coppola
Why are these wines sold by the case of 6?
The Coppola wines in the selection are sold by the case of 6 75 cl bottles. We always show the price per bottle, from €22.90 for the Diamond Collection to €43.80 for the Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. A case lets you follow a wine over several months or serve a whole table.
What is the difference between Diamond Collection and Director's Cut?
The Diamond Collection blends grapes from several Californian vineyards around a single grape variety: the style is consistent, fruity and approachable. Director's Cut comes from a specific valley in Sonoma County, Alexander Valley or Dry Creek Valley. These wines gain in density, structure and ageing potential, and their price follows.
Where is the Francis Ford Coppola winery?
The winery is in Geyserville, in the north of Sonoma County, in the heart of the Alexander Valley. The grapes for the range, however, come from several regions: Sonoma for Director's Cut, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County for the Diamond Appellation Series, and the whole of California for the Diamond Collection.
What kind of grape is Zinfandel?
Zinfandel is California's emblematic red grape variety, planted there since the 19th century. It is genetically identical to Puglia's Primitivo and Croatia's Crljenak Kaštelanski. It gives rich reds, with blackberry and pepper, often generous in alcohol, to serve with spicy food.
What wine to choose for a barbecue?
The Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2022, at €22.90 a bottle by the case of 6, is the obvious choice: black fruit, spice and roundness go well with grilled meats and smoky sauces. For a rib of beef or a shoulder of lamb, step up to the Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, at €25.90 a bottle, by the case of 6.
How long should these wines be kept?
The Diamond Collection is best drunk in its first years, to enjoy the fruit; the Sauvignon Blanc keeps for 1 to 5 years. The Cabernets from Paso Robles and Alexander Valley can take a few more years in the cellar and soften with time. Store the bottles lying down, somewhere cool and away from light.
At what temperature should you serve Coppola wines?
Serve the Sauvignon Blanc at around 8–10 °C and the Chardonnays at around 11–12 °C, to keep their freshness against the oak. The Santa Barbara Pinot Noir is best served lightly chilled, at around 14 °C. The Zinfandels and Cabernets show their best at around 16–17 °C; an hour in a decanter opens up the Director's Cut wines.
What does AVA mean on the label?
AVA stands for American Viticultural Area: a wine-growing area defined by the US federal administration on the basis of climate, soils and geography. Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Paso Robles are AVAs. An AVA named on the label guarantees that at least 85% of the grapes come from it, a useful pointer for placing the wine.
What should you serve with the Santa Barbara Pinot Noir?
The Diamond Appellation Series Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021, at €28.90 a bottle by the case of 6, loves delicate dishes: grilled salmon, seared tuna, roast poultry, pan-fried mushrooms. Its cherry fruit and taut acidity, born of the Pacific fogs, also go with spicier food, such as Peking duck.