Eleanor Coppola: Meet the Matriarch Behind the Wine Empire (VIDEO)

Here’s Why You Need to Know Eleanor Coppola

Mother, filmmaker, wife, artist, director, vintner, Eleanor Coppola plays many roles, but isn’t defined by any one of them.

Sit down with the Queen behind the Coppola empire, and you will see Eleanor Coppola is as layered, and as approachable as her winery’s flagship Claret.

The Coppola name is synonymous with American cinema, and the family wine, food, and hospitality empire spans the globe. From luxury resorts in Central America, to a winery park in Northern Sonoma County, and a legacy property in the Napa Valley. When the Coppola’s do something they go all in – from films to food to family. The adventures are endless and they are epic.

In this episode of Wine Oh TV, Monique Soltani shares a sip with Eleanor Coppola at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville, California.

Videographer: Tim Kennedy of Napa Films

Monique speaks with the Coppola family matriarch about the important role of women in the family wine business, in films, and beyond.

They taste Eleanor’s Red Blend, Sofia’s Brut Rosé, (and discover the Lost in Translation canned wine connection), get to the bottom of Eleanor’s Granddaughter’s next gen wine, #collection Wines by Gia Coppola, and unearth the Great Women in Spirits Collection.

Watch and see how the icons of American Cinema became the first family of American wine.

Eleanor’s Red Blend: Rutherford: 27% Syrah, 22% Petite Sirah Alexander Valley: 39% Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley: 12% Syrah. $80

#Collection Wines by Gia Coppola brand focuses on lighter, brighter wines with lower alcohol content: white, red, rosé. $18

Great Women Spirits — small-batch, house-crafted, classically styled spirits — producing their unique new brand of vodka, gin, and brandy. Crafting a collection of spirits as unique and remarkable as the women they honor.

All spirits are crafted in a style that reflects the individual character of these trailblazers, and are proofed with pristine water from the Coppola Napa Valley Estate.

“You know why we don’t hear about famous women in history? Because the history books were written by men.” – Eleanor Coppola

9 Things You Don’t Know About Eleanor Coppola

1. Her favorite grape is Syrah
2. She’s on a Bocce League (and I hear she’s quite good)
3. She moved to the Napa Valley in the 1970’s after being tired of dressing her kids in winter parkas in JULY (Karl the Fog strikes again!)
4. She directed her first feature film at 80 (Paris Can Wait)
5. She’s designed costumes for the Oberlin Dance Company
6. She’s probably most well know for her 1991 documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.
7. She founded The Circle of Memory
8. She’s written two successful books: Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now and Notes on a Life
9. She does not sit at home all day, on a pile of cash, eating bonbons

About The Family Coppola
The Family Coppola encompasses all of the things Francis loves most – cinema, wine, food, resorts, and adventure – and embraces quality, authenticity and pleasure as a backbone to each of these vibrant business endeavors. Anchored in Sonoma County, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, known for the superior level of quality and integrity, is, as Francis puts it, “A wine wonderland, a park of pleasure where people of all ages can enjoy all the best things in life: food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming and performances of all types. A place to celebrate the love of life.”

Coppola’s second foray into Sonoma County came in 2015 with the launch of Virginia Dare Winery, American wines since 1835, ushering in a new era of elevated quality and vineyard-specific wines. The Family Coppola Hideaways are a collection of unique properties where adventure meets serenity. Drawing upon inspiration from his film career and travels around the globe to the far reaching corners of the world, Francis designed each resort to embrace its off-the-beaten-track location, making them ideal destinations for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings. Additionally, The Family Coppola operates a venerable film production company, American Zoetrope; the award-winning all-literary magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story; Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco’s iconic Sentinel Building in North Beach; and Mammarella Foods, an authentic line of premium organic pastas and sauces. www.TheFamilyCoppola.com.

Drone and winery video footage provided by Francis Ford Coppola Winery