Appellation

Coppola Changes
Francis Ford Coppola describes his just-renovated Alexander Valley winery as “a wine wonderland, a park of pleasure where people of all ages can enjoy all the best things in life—food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming and performances of all types. A place to celebrate the love of life.” Offerings include a wine tasting bar, two restaurants, swimming pools, movie memorabilia, a performing arts pavilion and a park area with game tables and bocce courts. Film buffs can browse artifacts like the car from Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Don Corleone’s desk from The Godfather, props and keepsakes from Apocalypse Now and Coppola’s Oscars. franciscoppolawinery.com

Try This @ Home
Everyone loves to sample—and thanks to thetastingroom.com, you can try wine before deciding to buy in the comfort of your own home. Kits include four to six mini-bottles, food-and-wine pairing advice, winemaker notes and basic tasting tips, all delivered to your door; among the options are A Parade of Pinots from DeLoach Vineyards ($30), the Salon Experience from Patz & Hall ($25) and Gundlach Bundschu’s Six Generations of Excellence from Sonoma Valley ($20). thetastingroom.com

Painted Noir 
Works by famed artists are already displayed in Revana Family Vineyard’s tasting room, but the newest offering, Sitar Pinot Noir from Oregon, a result of a collaboration between Revana and Oregon winemaker Tony Rynders, wears its art on the bottle: for the first time the label features original artwork, a signature sitar by Thomas Arvid. revanawine.com

Up to the River
This year’s Grape to Glass weekend in the Russian River Valley starts before noon August 20, when you can pick up a Cellar Pass (buy it online) to tour various wineries in a get-to-know-the-region event. The Hyatt at Vineyard Creek holds the official kickoff, with a tasting of farm-to-table appetizers and small plates followed by a concert under the stars featuring tenor Nick Palance and soprano Lindsey Scott. Other activities range from kayaking the river to biking through the vineyards. rrvw.org


Mimi Towle

Mimi Towle has been the editor of Marin Magazine for over a decade. She lived with her family in Sycamore Park and Strawberry and thoroughly enjoyed raising two daughters in the mayhem of Marin’s youth sports; soccer, swim, volleyball, ballet, hip hop, gymnastics and many many hours spent at Miwok Stables. Her community involvements include volunteering at her daughter’s schools, coaching soccer and volleyball (glorified snack mom), being on the board of both Richardson Bay Audubon Center. Currently residing on a floating home in Sausalito, she enjoys all water activity, including learning how to steer a 6-person canoe for the Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club. Born and raised in Hawaii, her fondness for the islands has on occasion made its way into the pages of the magazine.