Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [211]
Rubicon Estate ★★ Hollywood meets Napa Valley at Francis Ford Coppola’s spectacular 1880s ivy-draped historic stone winery and grounds. Originally known as Inglenook Vineyards, then Niebaum-Coppola, it’s now named after its most prestigious wine. You’ll have to fork over $25 to visit the estate, but that includes valet parking, a tasting of five wines (they make a gazillion different kinds), a tour of the impeccably renovated grounds, and access to the giant wine bar and retail center and room showcasing Coppola film memorabilia, from Academy Awards to trinkets from The Godfather and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Wine, food, and gift items dominate the cavernous tasting area, where wines such as an estate-grown blend, cabernet franc, merlot, and zinfandel made from organically grown grapes are sampled. Bottles range from around $19 to more than $100. Along with the basic tour, you can pay extra for more exclusive, specialized tours as well.
1991 St. Helena Hwy. (Hwy. 29), Rutherford. 800/782-4266 or 707/968-1100. www.rubiconestate.com. Daily 10am–5pm. Tours daily.
A tasting at Rubicon, formerly Niebaum-Coppola.
Beaulieu Vineyard Bordeaux native Georges de Latour founded the third-oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley in 1900. With the help of legendary oenologist André Tchelistcheff, he produced world-class, award-winning wines that have been served at the White House since Franklin D. Roosevelt was at the helm. The brick-and-redwood tasting room isn’t much to look at, but with Beaulieu’s (Bowl-you) reputation, it has no need to visually impress. Tastings range in price from $15 to $35 and a number of bottles sell for under $20. The Reserve Tasting Room offers a taste of five reserve wines for $35 and bottles that cost upwards of $100.
1960 St. Helena Hwy. (Hwy. 29), Rutherford. 707/967-5233. www.bvwines.com. Daily 10am–5pm.
Grgich Hills Cellar Croatian émigré and winemaking Hall of Famer Miljenko (Mike) Grgich (Grr-gitch) made his presence known to the world when his 1973 Chateau Montelena chardonnay bested the top French white burgundies at the famous 1976 Paris tasting. Since then, the master vintner teamed up with Austin Hills (of the Hills Bros. coffee fortune) and started this extremely successful and respected winery featuring estate-grown wines from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards.
The ivy-covered stucco building isn’t much to behold, and the tasting room is even less appealing, but people don’t come here for the scenery: As you might expect, Grgich’s chardonnays are legendary—and priced accordingly. The smart buys are the outstanding zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon, which cost around $35 and $60, respectively. The winery also produces a fantastic fumé blanc for around $30 a bottle. Before you leave, be sure to poke your head into the barrel-aging room and inhale the divine aroma. Tastings cost $15 (which includes the glass). No picnic facilities are available.
1829 St. Helena Hwy. (Hwy. 29), north of Rutherford Cross Rd., Rutherford. 707/963-2784. www.grgich.com. Daily 9:30am–4:30pm. $25 tours by appointment only.
Mumm Napa Valley Housed in a big redwood barn, Mumm is a fun place to stop for a glass (or bottle) of bubbly and a stroll past its exceptional photography exhibits. Just beyond the extensive gift shop (filled with all sorts of namesake mementos) is the tasting room, where you can purchase sparkling wine by the glass ($7–$15), three-wine flights ($12–$25), or the bottle ($20–$85). You can also take a 45-minute free educational tour—with your dog because this joint is pooch friendly!—and stroll through the impressive fine-art photography gallery, which features a permanent Ansel Adams collection and ever-changing photography exhibits. Sorry, there’s no food or picnicking here.
8445 Silverado Trail (just south of Rutherford Cross Rd.), Rutherford. 800/686-6272 or 707/967-7730. www.mummnapa.com. Daily 10am–5pm. Complimentary tours offered daily at 10am. $20 tour and tasting 11am–3pm.
Round Pond ★★ Surrounded by imported