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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.