Start RSVPing “YES” to those holiday party invites. To get the festivities flowing, we caught up with Gary Sitton, WSJwine partner and head winemaker at the celebrated Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Sonoma County. We’re pouring up the deets on how to get a great dinner party started, the perfect crowd-pleasing wine to bring, and even the tunes to put you in the hosting mood. (If you need some help with that last one this holiday season, check out our extra-special WSJwine-inspired playlist.)
Sit back – preferably with a glass – and read our exclusive interview with Gary, the winemaker extraordinaire.
Credit: Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Rue La La: What inspired your wine, A Tavola (Italian for “to the table”), and how does that relate to the winemaking ethos at Francis Ford Coppola Winery?
Gary Sitton: When Francis was young, his family would all go to his Grandma’s house for Sunday night dinner. As the story goes, no one knew what Mama Coppola would be cooking that night. They would just sit down at the table, and she would bring course after course of incredible food out of the kitchen. Several years ago, we started offering a dining experience called A Tavola at our winery’s restaurant, Rustic. Guests aren’t given menus. Instead, as soon as they are seated our servers (who are dressed in classic Italian costumes for the weekly event) start bringing a variety of food to the table. It’s not only a callback to those Coppola family meals but also an opportunity for our culinary team to get creative with the dishes by using the freshest ingredients from our organic garden. Our philosophy to winemaking is similar in that way. We combine high-quality fruit with the talent and creativity of our winemaking team to produce wines that reflect the comfort of home and those good times shared with friends and family.
RLL: That’s a great story behind such a great wine. Do you think there are any other similarities between making wine and assembling a great dinner party?
GS: As a winemaker, I find a lot of similarities between creating a great wine and making a great meal. For both, you always start with the very best ingredients. That could be the finest grapes from one of our estate vineyards or fresh produce from our organic estate garden. I believe in making both in a way that is simple and unadorned, while building layers of flavor, which allows the quality of the ingredients to shine through. And once you do, who wants to keep them to yourself? The greatest joy lies in sharing them with our friends and family!
Credit: Francis Ford Coppola Winery
RLL: Since sharing is caring, what is the perfect crowd-pleasing wine to bring to a party?
GS: In general, I try to know the tastes of who I’m dining with. For instance, my Dad prefers Zinfandel and Syrah to lighter bodied reds like Pinot Noir. And my Mom likes sparkling, or even slightly sweet, white wine. However, if I’m attending a party with a large group of people and I’m uncertain, I tend to favor wines that have broad appeal. Chardonnay that is lightly oaked tends to be a crowd-pleaser because it can please both oak lovers and those who don’t care for oak. And it pairs well with a broad array of foods. The same is true on the red side of Pinot Noir and Merlot. Pinot Noir is a classic pairing with holiday meals because it can pair well with the myriad flavors on the table. Merlot is similar, while a little fuller bodied, without having tannins that are off-putting to some members of the crowd.
RLL: With holiday entertaining on the horizon, tell us about some upcoming festive events at Francis Ford Coppola Winery.
GS: Our main event is a Holiday Open House, which takes place in early December. The winery will be decorated for the season, which makes it feel even more magical than usual. It’s basically a shopping event with specials on wine and merchandise without the hustle and bustle of a normal store experience. Guests are able to walk around the tasting room and gift shop at their own pace while sipping on a glass of wine. We also are planning a special A Tavola experience on New Year’s Eve.
Of course, the winery is also a great place to host your own private holiday party. We have several venues that are perfect for festive year-end celebrations.
Credit: Francis Ford Coppola Winery
RLL: Shopping while walking around with a glass of wine? Sign us up. Continuing the cheery holiday vibe, what are the top five songs that are always on your dinner party playlist?
GS: I’d be hard-pressed to name five songs because the playlist changes just as quickly as the wine selection based on my mood, the guest list, the weather or season, and what the occasion is. Some of the artists you’d find on my playlist at the moment though… Whiskey Myers, Chris Stapleton (I grew up in a farming community, and country definitely influences my musical preferences, though I like the blues influence of the aforementioned), and John Legend – his piano playing and voice are simply amazing. I’ll call it blues-influenced, current alternative along with 80s alternative, and even occasionally some reggae. My musical preferences are pretty diverse.
RLL: Those are some great tunes for a party! What would you say is one of the most rewarding things about your job, especially around the holidays?
GS: There’s no question that the most rewarding part of my job is working to create amazing wines and then sharing them with my friends and family at the table.
By Tracy Troisi, Staff Writer
