Customer Reviews

A Sense of Place: An Intimate Portrait of the Niebaum-Coppola Winery and the Napa Valley

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

A superb job of telling a complex story, A Sense of Place is a screenplay waiting to happen. The author, a skilled storyteller, takes the reader through 100 years of winery history, from Niebaum, the creator, to Coppola, the preserver. Along the way, there is a full cast of bunglers, buffoons and heros. For those who know nothing about wine, it will be an enlightening story. For those who do, a compelling one--the verbal equivalent of a case of 1995 Rubicon.

A Sense of Place is a refreshing story of commitment and passion, demonstrating that sometimes taking risks, having vision and resolute dedication does get rewarded. If the author's reports of Francis Coppola's achievements seem laudatory, it is only because Coppola has accomplished an extraordinary feat. Further, Kolpan's stories of the people that frame the story of this land, such as Rafael Rodriguez, are enchanting. Rodriguez's story of success is one that we hope all immigrants to America can achieve. This is an engrossing book worthy of your time.

Francis Ford Coppola should not be listed as an author of this book. I bought it because I thought Copppla was one of the authors. He is quoted in the book but he did not write it. I think this is misleading to readers.

I loved this book - it is a beautiful story with a happy ending. It starts out with an immigrant's dream to create a perfect wine château, the devolution of that dream at the hands of corporate soulessness. It again becomes a dream when Francis Ford Coppola and his wife, Eleanor, successfully piece together the property, the pride and quality of this very special vineyard. The author tells the story through extensive research and interviews with the major players. I learned a lot about the world of great wines and the heart and soul that goes into making them.

I've been to the winery and was amazed at the story. I was so excited to find this book so I could have a copy of this story to have for myself.

I found A Sense of Place to be exactly what the title describes - an intimate portrait of the Niebaum-Coppola Winery. Through detailed interviews with those who have been commited to preserving this historical sight , including Coppola, the author puts forth a detailed history of the events that have shaped the vinyard. Coppola writes in the forward, "In, America, very few things that are split apart are ever put together again. There seems to be no incentive to respect heritage and tradition." What the author has done with A Sense of Place is to honor the heritage that is Niebaum-Coppola.

A Sense of Place reads like historical fiction, but it is well-documented, insightful fact. The cast of characters, each of whom carry his or her own chapter -- from Gustave Niebaum, founder of Inglenook, to John Daniel, Jr., its inheritor, to Rafael Rodriguez, the witness to its 20th century history, to Dennis Fife, the idealistic but defeated coroporate guy, to Scott McLeod, the gifted and commited winemaker, to Francis and Eleanor Coppola, the stewards of the land for the present and for the future -- are compelling and dynamic. Author Kolpan brings a sensitivity and awareness to the subject too often lacking in standard wine books. A great read for people who love wine, food, and history. Bravo!

The book, A Sense of Place, by Steven Kolpan, tells the story of the Niebaum-Coppola Winery (formally called Inglenook) by combining the history of a piece of land with the personal stories of the people who lived and worked it. I found his book to be well researched as well an inspiration to read. To my surprise the book is not so much about Francis Ford Coppola as it is about the land itself and a vision of a man, Gustave Niebaum. I man I had never heard of until I read this book. This book is a great read. The narrative is dramatic and stories compelling.

At last, a book about wine that has a heart and a soul. The story of the Niebaum-Coppola winery is rendered with such affection for the land, the people who cultivate it, and the wine they create, that it pulls you right into history. This is a story, not a textbook, with real characters of real integrity (and just enough of the "bad guys" to make it interesting). In an age where corporate conglomerates seem to spread like phylloxera, I found great comfort in reading about people who literally took back the land and started doing things right again. The frankness with which Rafeal Rodriguez and Kolpan tell the story makes you understand this history from a human perspective. If you're looking for a quick read packed with oenology factoids, move on. Sure, there is lots of information and science in here, but the author weaves it all into to the story, translating details into meaning---a reflection, I suppose, of his experience as an educator. So many (too many) wine writers focus so much on the mercenary aspects of winemaking (production, distribution, and marketing) that you wonder if they even really like the stuff for its own sake, not just because it's such-and-such vintage from such-and-such chateau. Kolpan obviously loves wine dearly for the spirit it embodies; his affection for the fruit of the vine will inspire you.

Sloppy editing and contradictions distract from an otherwise good story. The review in The Wine Spectator got it right. How about a revised edition?