Checking Out Francis Ford Coppola's Revamped Winery in Geyserville

Esteemed movie director Francis Ford Coppola has been busy redesigning and expanding his Francis Ford Coppola Winery in the charming small town of Geyserville for months now, and several components of the old Chateau Souverain – just off the U.S. 101 a few miles north of Lytton Springs Road – have recently opened.

Already garnering smashing acclaim is the winery’s swish new restaurant, Rustic, which specializes in the old-school Southern Italian cuisine of Coppola’s heritage – a specialty are crisp-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas, such as the “funghi e salsiccia” topped with Italian sausage and wild mushrooms. There’s also a whole fish of the day baked in salt, Marrakesh-style lamb for two in cooked for an entire night in a clay pot, and good old-fashioned rigatoni and meatballs.

This is one highlight of a project that’s included countless features, including newly designed tasting rooms featuring Coppola’s award-winning Cabernet Sauvignons and Syrahs, a gallery exhibiting memorabilia from the director’s iconic film career, a Sunday-evening neighborhood farmers market, bocce courts, and – still to come this fall – two swimming pools and a sundeck with private changing cabins (use of the pool is complimentary, while the cabins will rent for $25 per day and have showers, towel service, and reserved poolside seating). Also opening soon is an entertainment pavilion that will host everything from stargazing programs hosted by astronomers to seminars on winemaking.