In Memoriam: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Eleanor Coppola, Filmmaker and Inglenook Winery Restorer

Eleanor “Ellie” Coppola, a famed artist, author, documentarian, and vintner, had a profound impact on both Hollywood and Napa Valley.

On April 12, Ellie Coppola passed away in Rutherford, California, at her residence, at the age of 87. Being a visual artist, author, and film director, she was married to filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola for over six decades. Both of them worked together to restore the legendary Inglenook winery in Napa.

Robin Lail, a vintner and friend, shared with Wine Spectator that “Even though Eleanor was surrounded by fame and creativity, she carved out her own space through her children, documentaries, books, art, design, and her own feature films. She was cherished for her embracing, enhancing friendship. Wherever Eleanor was, she carried an aura of sunshine. Eleanor was indeed extraordinary, complex and she will be remembered with joy and awe.”

Back in 1975, the Coppolas were in search of a vacation cottage in Napa Valley and ended up buying part of the historic Inglenook estate, established in 1879 by Lail’s great grand-uncle. Over the years, they managed to reunite the original vineyards by purchasing parcels that went up for sale. The Coppolas bought the former winery itself in 1995. Subsequently, they also acquired the Inglenook trademark in 2011, thus reuniting the name with the estate.

In 2019, Eleanor Coppola had a conversation with Wine Spectator, sharing, “My encounter with [Robin] was shortly after we settled in our valley home in 1977. As I delved into the history of our property and the Daniel family, it dawned on me, strangely enough, that I was living in the house she was brought up in and had always assumed she would inherit eventually.”

Coppola had a profound love for nature and her friendship with Alice Waters, the chef at Chez Panisse, spurred a passion for organic farming. In 1994, the winery joined the pioneers as one of the first wine estates in Napa Valley to receive organic certification.

Wine also played a central role in inspiring her filmmaking. She shared with Wine Spectator in 2017, “There are a great many films that explore rather dark themes. I simply wanted to produce a film that you can take pleasure in watching, which leaves you hungering for a good meal and craving a decent glass of wine.”

In alignment with this inspiration, she launched her first narrative feature film at the age of 80, titled Paris Can Wait. The film, starring Diane Lane, was loosely based on a journey to Paris guided by a Frenchman, a journey that Coppola herself had once embarked on. “I really aspired to showcase the various facets of French cuisine along with the wines of the region”, said Coppola concurrently.

Born in 1936 in Los Angeles, Coppola grew up in Southern California and attended UCLA, where she received a degree in applied design. After graduation, she created fabric collages and stitchery murals for architectural installations and began teaching design classes at UCLA while also pursuing graduate studies. In 1962, she was invited to Ireland to work as an assistant art director on the low-budget Dementia 13, the first feature film written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Ellie and Francis worked together, fell in love and were married the following year.

Their work overlapped; while living in the Philippines during the making of her husband’s 1979 classic Apocalypse Now, Eleanor shot Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, a critically acclaimed, Emmy award–winning documentary about the making of the film. Their children also followed in their cinematic footsteps—older son Gian-Carlo, who passed away in 1986, appeared in multiple films; Roman has directed several movies and collaborated with Wes Anderson; and Sofia is an acclaimed director of films including Lost in Translation and Priscilla, the latter of which she dedicated to her mother.

Eleanor made other behind-the-scenes documentaries about films directed by her family, most recently editing a look at the making of Sofia’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette.

Coppola’s drawings, photos and conceptual art pieces have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. She also designed costumes for ODC/Dance, a contemporary dance company based in San Francisco. She published two books, Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now (1979) and Notes on a Life (2008).

Stay on top of important wine stories with Wine Spectator’s free Breaking News Alerts.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!