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    93 Tb
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    94
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    74
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    140

News

Inglenook Celebrates 140th Anniversary with Major Cave Expansion

Francis Ford Coppola, proprietor of Inglenook, is pleased to announce that the historic winery will mark its 140th anniversary by significantly expanding its caves. The major expansion will accommodate the addition of 122 stainless steel fermenting tanks, each dedicated to one of Inglenook’s 122 vineyard parcels.

“Since it was founded in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum, Inglenook has been renowned for its creativity, quality, innovation and industry leadership,” said Coppola. “We continue that tradition and dedication with this significant cave expansion, led by our director of winemaking, Philippe Bascaules.” The cave expansion kicks off a year-long celebration of Inglenook’s 140th anniversary.

From Gustave Niebaum to John Daniel, Jr. to Francis Ford Coppola, Inglenook’s three principal stewards have shared a strong sense of vision and an unwavering passion to create a wine estate that hearkens back to the European tradition, producing original, distinctly Napa wines that rival the best in Europe. Working with Coppola, Bascaules’ vision is to ferment each of Inglenook’s 122 vineyard parcels separately, to enhance the wines’ complexity.

“Having more tanks preserves the identity of each parcel, which allows us to be more precise as we’re blending,” said Bascaules. “We can then better explore the capacity of each parcel, which will create more diversity and will lead to more complex, balanced blends.”

Inglenook has a rich history of leadership in the wine industry. Many of founder Gustave Niebaum’s innovations at Inglenook became industry standards: Inglenook instituted the first sterile bottling process in Napa; it was the first to separate field debris from grapes; Inglenook planted Napa’s first Merlot in 1882; and Inglenook built the first gravity-flow winery in 1888, which was considered one of the greatest winery structures in the Western Hemisphere at the time.

The new cave expansion is expected to be completed in time for the 2020 harvest.

 

Philippe Bascaules to Remain Inglenook's Director of Winemaking

 Francis Ford Coppola, proprietor of Inglenook, is pleased to announce that Philippe Bascaules, recently appointed as managing director of Château Margaux, will remain director of winemaking for Inglenook as part of a unique arrangement.

 

With his adventurous and innovative approach to winemaking and focus on long-term vineyard management, Bascaules has undertaken the replanting of several vineyards and is currently designing a new winemaking facility, all as part of a 50-year plan he developed for Coppola and his wife, Eleanor, when he arrived at Inglenook five years ago. He will continue to lead these projects.

“I am pleased that I can continue to oversee the winemaking at Inglenook and guide the changes I started there five years ago. Inglenook’s terroir is exceptional and I am very grateful to Francis Ford Coppola for continuing our collaboration,” said Bascaules.

 

Bascaules has remarkably changed the style of Inglenook’s wines in pursuit of his and the Coppolas’ commitment to restore Inglenook’s legacy of excellence. In particular, Inglenook’s Rubicon and Cask Cabernet Sauvignons have received critical acclaim for their fresher, more elegant style.

“Philippe’s devotion to Inglenook has created a winery that we can pass on to our children and their children,” said Francis Ford Coppola. “Château Margaux is Philippe’s alma mater, so it is logical and understandable to us that Phillipe would be called upon to return there after the untimely passing of the wonderful Paul Pontallier. When Phillipe was presented with the opportunity to return to Château Margaux, we were thrilled that he wished to continue working on both sides of the ocean.”

 

About Inglenook

Founded in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum as Napa’s first estate winery, Inglenook boasts an illustrious heritage, a renowned legacy of innovation and an outstanding portfolio of award-winning wines that have defined and established Napa as a world-class wine region. From Gustave Niebaum to John Daniel, Jr. to Francis Ford Coppola, Inglenook’s three principal stewards have shared a strong sense of vision and an unwavering passion to create a wine estate that hearkens back to the European tradition, producing original, distinctly Napa wines that rival the best in Europe. It remains the largest contiguous estate on the famed Rutherford Bench, Napa Valley’s finest area for producing spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon.

The iconic Inglenook chateau was first constructed in 1887, and faithfully restored in 1997. Befitting the grandeur of the Inglenook estate, the chateau welcomes guests for seated tastings and special events. Experiences include tours of the Chateau, the Infinity caves, the vineyards, barrel tastings and culinary offerings under the direction of Winery Chef Alex Lovick who expertly pairs the wines with the seasonal, organic bounty of the expansive estate farm and orchards.

 

Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 1941 – £17,250 / Sold in 2004, this is regarded as one of the most expensive American wines ever sold. The estate is now known as Rubicon, owned by Francis Ford Coppola, who allegedly keeps an empty bottle of this vintage on top of his fridge.

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History

The Inglenook legacy began in 1879 when Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish sea captain, wine connoisseur and entrepreneur, came to Rutherford to build a wine estate that would rival Europe’s finest. When Niebaum’s grandnephew, John Daniel, Jr. inherited the chateau and vineyards in the 1930s, Inglenook had already earned international acclaim.  Francis and Eleanor Coppola purchased the property in 1975 and have spent forty years reuniting the original vineyards, returning winemaking operations to the chateau, and restoring Inglenook’s illustrious heritage with the help of renowned wine consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt and Managing Director and Winemaker Philippe Bascaules. In honor of this estate and its historical significance, we have restored the name, Inglenook.

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Inside information

Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola is best known as the five-time Oscar-winning director, writer, and producer of such epic films as the Godfather  trilogy and Apocalypse Now.   As a writer, director, producer, and technological pioneer, Coppola has created a body of work that has helped to shape contemporary American cinema.  He has been making films for more than fifty years and wine for nearly forty.

 

In 1975, Francis and Eleanor purchased part of the historic Inglenook Estate, including over 1400 acres of land and founder Gustave Niebaum's Victorian home and carriage house.  Coppola renamed the estate Niebaum-Coppola and in 1978 produced the first vintage of Rubicon.  1995, the Coppolas purchased the remaining part of the original property, which included the Inglenook Chateau and approximately 90 acres of vineyards, thus restoring the Estate to its historic dimensions. "In America, so few things that are broken apart are ever put back together. Reuniting this property was truly a dream come true, both for my family and for Napa Valley." The Coppolas restored the Chateau and grounds to grandeur, making it one of the most beautiful visitor destinations in the Napa Valley.

 

In 2011, the Coppolas acquired the iconic Inglenook trademark and Coppola announced that henceforth, his celebrated Estate would be known by its historic original name, Inglenook, “Our goal has always been to make one of the world's great wines,” says Coppola. “You don’t get involved with an Estate like this, without that as your goal.  In April 2002, all of our 200 acres of vineyards were certified organic—a process that took several years. We are one step closer towards realizing our wine quality goals and carrying on the great legacy that was Inglenook.” 

 

Francis Ford Coppola has always been a dreamer, but he is one of those rare people who, with passion and commitment, has turned his dreams into reality.   His dreams and interests have not only have involved cinema and wine, but have encompassed food, literature, and travel as well. 

 

In addition to Inglenook, Coppola also owns the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville, California. He launched Zoetrope: All-Story, a quarterly magazine of short fiction, which has won every major story award, including two National Magazine Awards for Fiction. He founded Blancaneaux Lodge, a deluxe, small resort in the remote rainforest of Belize and then opened two more Central American resorts; Turtle Inn in the Belizean beachside town of Placencia, and La Lancha aside Lake Petén Itzá in Guatemala.  All three resorts regularly appear on the 'Best Resorts' lists of travel magazines. Coppola's culinary projects include his Mammarella’s brand pastas, pasta sauces and oils as well as a restaurant, Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco. In 2012, Coppola returned to his roots, opening Palazzo Margherita, a small boutique hotel in the Italian town of Bernalda, where his paternal grandfather was born.

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5 different wines with 67 vintages

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