*Calling All Pizza Lovers* Francis Ford Coppola Winery Celebrates Third Annual "Perfect Your Pizza" Competition with Spectacular New Grand Prize

Pizza & Wine Lover's Italian Dream Trip, Anyone?

GEYSERVILLE, Calif., July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Francis Ford Coppola Winery, the iconic Sonoma County wine estate behind the award-winning "Diamond Collection" wine brand, today announces its third annual "Perfect Your Pizza" competition. Entries open today, July 1st, for aspiring home cooks to submit an original pizza recipe and wine pairing for the chance to win the ultimate pizza-and-wine-lover's trip of a lifetime to Italy or a $25,000 cash prize. Four finalists will also receive an expenses-paid trip to the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Sonoma County, California to compete in a live cook-off this October for the grand prize.

Now in its third year, the Coppola "Perfect Your Pizza" competition is a beacon for pizza and wine lovers looking to explore their love of this tried-and-true pairing by flexing their recipe-creation skills. For 2024, the incentive to enter has never been greater, as the grand prize has been amped up to include the option of a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid* pizza and wine-lover's Italian getaway. The winner and a guest will be flown directly to Rome, where they'll gain insider access through a specialized tour of the world-famous pizza within Italy's capital city. From Rome, the winner will travel to Naples, the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza, where they will enjoy five-star accommodations and a carefully curated itinerary of cheese & crust-filled expeditions highlighting the city's uniquely passionate pizza culture one bite at a time.

The pizza lover's Italian dream trip is the latest creative vehicle that the winery has unveiled to honor its belief in harmonizing the equally delicious worlds of wine and pizza, as 2023 saw the launch of a public hotline devoted to pizza & wine pairing tips.

In addition to the upgraded grand prize, the final cook-off to crown the winner, taking place on October 12, 2024, at the winery estate in Geyserville, California, will expand to become a blowout public event. Attendees will watch the contestants prepare their perfect pizza entries and experience the pairings themselves, along with wine tastings and more. Tickets can be purchased beginning September 9 through the Francis Ford Coppola Winery website.

"Our mission is to forge a stronger connection between pizza and wine, while showing Americans that the right wine can take your pizza experience to the next level," noted Gabriela Becker, vice president of marketing for Coppola Wines. "In the spirit of discovering the perfect Coppola wine and pizza pairing, we're excited to offer the chance to travel to pizza's homeplace to inspire wine and pizza lovers everywhere."

To help ensure high standards for the Perfect Your Pizza contest, Coppola has again enlisted one of the country's foremost pizza authorities: Dan Richer, author of New York Times best-selling cookbook, The Joy of Pizza: Everything You Need to Know. As always, his bank of spectacular custom-created recipes in support of the contest (with high-res photographs) are available upon request.

Submissions for "Perfect Your Pizza" open on July 1^st. Contestants may enter by visiting  www.coppolaperfectyourpizza.com and providing their ingredient lists, full recipe and story inspiration for their creation. The deadline for entry is August 31, 2024. Follow along on Instagram @coppolawine and at www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com/perfectyourpizza.

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About Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Located in the heart of Sonoma County, California, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery proudly stands as a beacon of superior quality and integrity. Renowned for its award-winning, globally recognized Coppola portfolio, the winery crafts each bottle of wine on-site in its cutting-edge facility, amidst sustainably farmed vineyards. The esteemed portfolio includes the Diamond Collection, a shining star in the U.S. market as the fifth-largest super-premium wine brand, elegant Sofia sparkling cuvées, the highly curated Director's Cut, and the exceptional, winery-exclusive Francis Coppola Reserve wines. Francis Ford Coppola, the visionary behind the winery, describes the Sonoma estate as a "wine wonderland" - an all-encompassing park that invites people of all ages to revel in life's finest offerings: food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming, and diverse performances. It's a place designed to celebrate life in all its vibrancy. Nestled in Geyserville, the winery captivates visitors with a rich array of tasting experiences and seasonal events. It also offers culinary indulgences from its on-site restaurant, Rustic, and the tranquil vista of two swimming pools framed by lush vineyards. Adding to its charm is a broad collection of cinematic history, a nod to Francis's celebrated film career. Francis Ford Coppola Winery is a proud part of Delicato Family Wines, one of the fastest-growing top-ten wineries in the U.S.

About Dan Richer
Richer is the chef and owner of Razza in Jersey City. A graduate of Rutgers University, he skipped his own graduation to fly to Italy and begin his real education: in pizza. He is a four-time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award, as well as a James Beard Rising Star Chef semifinalist.

About Dan Richer's The Joy of Pizza: Everything You Need to Know
The Joy of Pizza starts with the basics—dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings—then takes the reader through the infinite possibilities and expressions of America's favorite food. Complete with instructions for making dough with commercial yeast as well as sourdough starters, baking the pies in your standard home oven as well as wood-fired outdoor pizza ovens, Richer helps beginner and expert pizza makers take their skills to the next level. Rich with step-by-step photography, including QR codes that link to instructional videos and portraits of every pizza both before and after it is cooked, this book is the quintessential guide for home bakers and professionals alike to master drool-worthy pizzas.

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SOURCE Francis Ford Coppola Winery