2006 Skywalker Ranch "Viandante Del Cielo" Chardonnay

Purchase 2006 Skywalker Ranch "Viandante Del Cielo" Chardonnay

For those unfamiliar with the origins of this wine, Viandante del Cielo is made by the winemaking team at Rubicon Estate for filmmaker and friend George Lucas from fruit grown at Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in Marin County.

Inland from the northern Pacific coastline and nestled between a small range of hills lies Lucas Valley and the vineyards of Skywalker Ranch. It is an area renowned for having exceptionally long, cool growing conditions, which contribute to mature fruit, profuse aromas, and complex flavors - perfect conditions for this style of Chardonnay.

Purchase 2006 Skywalker Ranch "Viandante Del Cielo" Chardonnay

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The Diamond Whites Collection -- This is a great way to explore the white side of our Diamond wines, and ensure that you'll always have an excellent bottle of white wine on hand. This collection contains the Gold Label Chardonnay, the Yellow Label Sauvignon Blanc, and the new Emerald Label Pinot Grigio.

2007 Votre Santé Chardonnay -- Grown along the cool Sonoma Coast, Votre Santé Chardonnay is crafted in a refined, graceful style, light in body and very food friendly. This French-styled Chardonnay presents a lovely balance of vibrant fruit, minerals and crisp acidity. You'll find aromas of green apple, lemon and orange blossom, flavors of citrus and mineral highlights. The Votre Santé wines pay tribute to Francis Coppola's grandmother who would toast with the traditional French phrase, "a votre santé" whenever she raised her glass.Appellation: Sonoma CoastBlend: 100% ChardonnayAlcohol: 13.5%Click here to view or print the fact sheet

Director's Chardonnay 2008 -- HistorySeveral years ago when the Coppola family opened the doors to its wine and food destination in Sonoma County, California, the winemaking team was asked to create a series of wines that would reflect its own artistic interpretation of the region.The winemakers decided to produce two separate collections in order to showcase Sonoma County as one of the premier wine growing regions of the world. The first—Director’s Cut—offers limited production wines grown in the distinct sub-appellations of Sonoma, small areas that produce specific terroir traits we like. The second—Director’s—is comprised of four classic varietals grown in diverse vineyards across the entire expanse of Sonoma County.By blending fruit from a variety of geographic climates, we’re able to create wines that offer lush, ripe fruit flavors, a light, silky texture, and soft, supple tannins. This year marks our debut release of Director’s— wines that demonstrate Sonoma County’s unique character and style.VintageThe 2008 . . .

Francis Coppola Reserve Chardonnay 2007 -- Click here to see a video clip of winemaker, Corey Beck, talk about our Dutton Ranch Chardonnay. 100% Dutton Ranch designated. Situated beside nearby apple orchards, the Dutton Ranch vineyard rather ironically produces fruit that is reminiscent of apple pie, rich yet sufficiently balanced by a crisp, natural acidity; a factor which allows these wines to age and develop greater complexity over time. Available exclusively through the Rosso & Bianco winery and the online store, our Francis Coppola Reserve 2007 Chardonnay demonstrates exceptional flavor complexity due to a very long season. Initial impressions of soft, creamy citrus and a hint of minerals give way to luscious flavors of pear, green apple and smoky spice, which build and lengthen toward a finish of ripe fruit and caramel.Alcohol: 14.5%

Director's Cut Chardonnay 2007 -- Hear what winemaker Corey Beck has to say about the Director's Cut Chardonnay! Click here for a video clip. The Chardonnay is 100% Russian River Valley, an area shaped by a regular intrusion of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. This cools the valley down from its daytime high temperatures by as much as 35 to 40 degrees, allowing Chardonnay grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season—often 15 to 20 percent longer than neighboring areas—while retaining their all-important natural acidity. 100% barrel fermented. We crush our Russian River Chardonnay whole-cluster and then ferment entirely in French oak barrels to achieve a silky, seductive texture. This vintage offers profuse aromatics of honeysuckle, baked pineapple, exotic spices and vanilla crème, as well as tightly focused flavors of pear, green apple, lemon and passion fruit, all beautifully layered upon a full-bodied palate. 12 months in 50% new French oak, 50%1-2 year old oak; 100% . . .

Francis Coppola Reserve Late Harvest Semillon 2006 -- Classic pairings with dessert Semillon wine include foie gras, fruit tarts, and bleu cheeses. In keeping with the Coppola promise to make every visit to the winery memorable and unique, we’ve created the Francis Coppola Reserve label—limited production wines that showcase distinctive vineyards from Sonoma’s renowned appellations, and special winemaking techniques in the case of our rare dessert wines. Our head winemaker, Corey Beck, hand-selects exceptional lots of fruit from these prestigious vineyards for crafting small-batch wines including a unique late harvest Semillon and Petite Sirah "Port." Because these wines are produced in such limited quantities, they are reserved exclusively for winery guests, wine club members and those who shop with us online.The LabelTo commemorate the special nature of these wines, our bottles feature a unique label design. A playful configuration of letters, which comprise the Coppola name, were created by, literally, tossing 3-dimensional pieces of type . . .

Francis Coppola Diamond Pinot Grigio 2008 -- Winemaker’s NotesPopularized in Northern Italy where seafood is abundant, Pinot Grigio is a varietal that requires a temperate climate and delicate handling. Our Pinot Grigio is grown in California’s cool climate appellations, where the grape performs its best. Picked in the early morning hours, fermented at cold temperatures and finished in stainless steel, Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Pinot Grigio is bright and crisp with an accent of minerals.The 2008 vintage was tricky across California—severe spring frost damaged the vineyards and a heat wave in late August prompted harvest to begin a few weeks early. On the upside of this, the frost that occurred early in the year diminished the overall fruit yield. Having less fruit on the vines meant that the grapes that remained had more flavor concentration because the vines didn’t need to nourish as much fruit. So, in spite of uncooperative weather, our Pinot Grigio delivers good body and balance and beautifully aromatic fruit flavors . . .

Francis Coppola Reserve Viognier 2007 -- Want to see what our winemaker, Corey Beck, has to say about the Viognier? Click here for a video clip. Available exclusively through the Francis Coppola Winery and the online store, Francis Coppola Reserve Viognier 2007 is crafted from 100% Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) grapes grown in the Russian River Valley. Why try Viognier? Viognier is a French Rhône wine varietal that is quickly rising to the top as an American favorite and California is its newest realm with about 2000 acres planted. And, as WinePros.com puts it, "Both Chardonnay and Viognier share tropical fruit flavors and a creamy mouthfeel. Even with little or no wood aging, Viognier can be as full-bodied as an oaky Chardonnay, but has much more distinctive fruit character. It also has a typically deep golden color, as well as rich and intense flavor." Lily’s Vineyard Situated only a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Russian River Valley is heavily influenced by the cool, foggy coastal climate. Our Viognier originates . . .

Francis Coppola Diamond Chardonnay 2008 -- What is the profile of our Diamond Chardonnay? Click here to hear what winemaker Corey Beck has to say. Winemaker’s NotesWe source our Chardonnay grapes from two distinct vineyards in Monterey. One is located near the Gabilan mountain range where the soil composition is predominantly loamy sand. This condition offers ideal drainage, which then concentrates the flavors of the fruit. The other vineyard, located in the Arroyo Seco, is positioned on the valley floor where the temperatures remain relatively cool. As a result, the fruit from this region maintains a crisp acidity. When we blend the wine from these two regions together, we achieve a lovely balance and greater complexity.To craft our Chardonnay, we use a whole-cluster press and split fermentation technique where half of the fruit is fermented in French oak, and the other half is fermented in stainless steel. Additionally, we put the wine that was fermented in wood through malolactic fermentation in order to achieve a lightly creamy . . .

Francis Coppola Diamond Sauvignon Blanc 2008 -- What is the style of our Diamond Sauvignon Blanc? Click here to see what winemaker Corey Beck has to say. Winemaker’s NotesWinemakers across the state experienced several challenges during the 2008 growing season. Spring frost damaged some vineyards, which significantly reduced the crop size. The upside of this was the remaining fruit was characterized by smaller berries with more concentrated flavors. The subsequent heat wave in late August produced rapid ripening of white grapes, which forced harvest to begin several weeks early so we wouldn’t lose the natural acidity we look for in Sauvignon Blanc. Despite the fact the weather kept us on our toes, the wine displays a lovely balance between sweet, juicy flavors and a bright, zesty palate. Serve chilled with simple crepes, a salad topped with goat cheese, or Chinese egg rolls. Tasting Profile Appearance: Pale strawAromas: Guava, pineapple, tangerineFlavors: Pink grapefruit, lemon, fig and melonAppellation: CaliforniaBlend: 100% . . .

Bianco Pinot Grigio 2008 -- Francis Coppola grew up with wine on the family table because his grandfather and uncles madehomemade wine in the basement of their New York apartment. Using grapes that had beenshipped in by train car from California, the family was able to make wines in simple concrete vats.Francis Coppola Presents Bianco Pinot Grigio 2008 is a light, crisp white wine that’s refreshingand versatile. Invite friends over and serve Bianco with appetizers, pair it with light lunch fare,enjoy it at dinnertime with seafood or simply pour yourself a glass to sip on a warm afternoon.WINEMAKER’S NOTES• The grapes for this wine come from two regions: the Pinnacles Bench in Monterey andClarksburg just outside of Lodi. Pinnacles Bench fruit is influenced by cool coastal conditions,while our Clarksburg grapes develop more ripeness because of fertile soils and a warmerclimate. When blended together, we create a wine with full, ripe flavors and balanced acidity.• Named for the grey color that the grapes turn at full . . .