Wine Industry Report

RUTHERFORD PROPERTY TO BE NAMED RUBICON ESTATE

LARRY STONE APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER OF RUBICON ESTATE

December 29, 2005, Rutherford, CA: Francis Ford and Eleanor Coppola will rename and refocus Niebaum-Coppola, their historic Estate in Rutherford as Rubicon Estate. “The splitting of our wine interests into two distinct elements demonstrates the commitment to make super premium Rutherford wines the only priority on Rubicon Estate’s agenda,” said Coppola. The new Estate name already appears on Rubicon Estate Cask Cabernet 2002, Rubicon Estate Cabernet Franc 2003 and Rubicon Estate Edizione Pennino Zinfandel 2003. All transition to the new Estate name will be completed by early 2006. Wines labeled Rubicon Estate are grown and vinified exclusively from the Estate’s 235 acres of certified organically grown grapes in Rutherford.

The Coppola family’s wine interests will be divided into two distinct and separate entities. The Rubicon Estate, the crown jewel, will forever be under the stewardship of the Coppola family. The newly acquired winery in Geyserville, in Sonoma County, the current home of the Chateau Souverain brand will be renamed the Francis Coppola Winery and will be part of a new company, Francis Ford Coppola Presents, LLC that encompasses other Francis Coppola branded businesses including food products, resorts, restaurants and publishing. Jay Shoemaker, who has headed the Coppola family’s business interests since 1996 will be CEO of this new entity. The expected date of closing on the acquisition of the property in Geyserville is March 1, 2006.

Francis Coppola Winery will have different management, different mission and will produce the Francis Coppola Presents and Diamond Collection at the new facility in Geyserville, which includes a restaurant and tasting room. Neither winery will sell nor reference the other’s products and the visitor experience will be markedly different in each.

Francis Coppola also announced that award-winning sommelier/wine director Larry Stone has been named as General Manager of Rubicon Estate effective January 2006. “Larry Stone has been on the board of the winery for several years and has made a great contribution,” said Coppola. “He is renowned in the wine world and we are honored to have him join us to realize the Coppola’s goal of making Rubicon Estate America’s Grand Wine Estate. Larry Stone and the Coppola family are clear about Rubicon Estate’s direction and priorities, set by the tradition and example of Inglenook, which has produced some of the finest Cabernets in the history of Napa Valley under the direction of John Daniel, especially the 1941 vintage of Inglenook Estate Cabernet.”

The guest experience will also change at the new Rubicon Estate, effective in early 2006. “Our objective is to elevate the experience for guests interested in the wines and history of this Estate. Our new VIP guest policy will reduce crowds, and guests will enjoy a level of elegance and attention rarely available at other wineries,” said Coppola. The required guest fee of $25 per person includes a tasting of five Estate wines, access to the Chateau, its museum and grounds and complimentary valet parking. Rubicon Estate will also offer an array of special tours and tastings, some historical, others more hands-on and interactive. These tours will be limited to small groups of 8 – 16 to insure a high level of experience. Complimentary admission will be given to residents of Napa Valley with proof of residency, as well as Rubicon Estate wine club members.

Background

In 1975, Francis and Eleanor Coppola purchased part of the famed Inglenook property in Rutherford, and set about to make a little home wine. Three years later, Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery released the first vintage of their flagship red, Rubicon, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. In the spirit of the first growths of Bordeaux, Rubicon exemplifies the highest expression of terroir on the property. Rutherford is considered prime Cabernet Sauvignon land and the Rubicon blend is dominated by Cabernet from Clone 29; also known as Rubicon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Clone #29. The 235 acres of Estate vineyards are also planted with Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and 6 acres of white Rhone varietals that produce the Estate’s flagship white, Blancaneaux.

In 1995, the Coppolas restored the property to its original dimension with the purchase of the historic Inglenook Chateau and 90 additional acres of vineyard. Since then, they have embarked on an ambitious program of vineyard replanting, returned winemaking to the Chateau with the 2002 vintage, obtained organic certification and acquired the adjacent J.J. Cohn property. In 2005, this enormous effort and focus culminates in Francis Ford Coppola’s decision to rename his Rutherford property, Rubicon Estate.