Why not explore Wine Country with your palate as your compass?  Here are four wineries that make great destination tastings. If you’re crazy about film, cab, history or lovely views, you’ll find something here that will pique your interest.

1) Best Movie Memorabilia: Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Geyserville

Francis Ford Coppola, the director of “The Godfather” movies, has made his winery a family-friendly retreat and backdrop for his movie memorabilia – bottleprops, Oscars and Golden Globes. There’s the gold phone from the “The Godfather, Part II,” the hat and boots worn by Robert Duvall in “Apocalypse Now” and a platinum record of the “American Graffiti” soundtrack. (The tasting room is at 300 Via Archimedes (formerly Souverain Road), 857-1462, www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com.)

2) Best tasting for the serious cabernet lover, Rutherford

“A Taste for Cabernet” at Sequoia Grove Winery will turn heads by showing cabernet enthusiasts how to best pair their beloved cab with food. Wine educator Dean Busquaert begins with a pour of the winery’s single vineyard cabernet sauvignons, including its top tier cab blend Cambium to show how soils and microclimates, and other factors in the terroir, reflect the flavors in the glass. The highlight of the tasting is learning how to navigate a platter of food with the wines. Busquaert has a great methodology and it comes with some surprising results. (The tasting room is at 8338 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford, 707-494-0905, www.sequoiagrove.com.)

3) Best Castle: Castello Di Amorosa, St. Helena

This medieval-style fortress has 107 rooms on eight levels, featuring towers, turrets, a moat and even a dungeon. Daryl Sattui, who also owns tourist-friendly V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, spent 14 years and $30 million building this 121,000-square-foot castle. A popular tourist destination, it is also a working winery, producing a broad range of wines to explore. (4045 St. Helena Highway N. 967-6272, www.castellodiamorosa.com.)

4) Best perch: Sterling Vineyards, Calistoga

There’s a touch of Disneyland as you board an aerial tramway to the winery, a Mediterranean-looking citadel on a 300-foot knoll. During the three-minute ride you spy a sprawl of vineyards on a hillside, a holding pond and a fountain below. The feeling is slightly indulgent and the views are among the best in the valley. As for tasting, Sterling makes a strong showing of several varietals, but its best is typically the reserve cabernet. (1111 Dunaweal Lane, 942-3345, www.sterlingvineyards.com.)

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