Francis Ford Coppola Winery Is Giving Away a Trip to Italy

"The iconic California wine estate is running its third annual “Perfect Your Pizza” competition, inviting home cooks to submit original pizza recipes and suggested Francis Coppola Diamond Collection wine pairings for a grand prize that includes an all‑expenses‑paid trip for two to Rome and Naples (winners can instead choose a $25,000 cash prize). Four finalists receive a fully comped trip to the winery in Sonoma County to compete in a live cook‑off on October 12 at the Geyserville winery estate, and the public event will allow attendees to watch contestants, taste the pizzas with the suggested pairings, and more (tickets go on sale September 9). Submissions open July 1 and must include ingredient lists, a full recipe, a story of inspiration, and a short video or photo (entries can also be submitted via Instagram with #CoppolaPerfectYourPizza24 and #21+); entrants must be 21 or older, legal U.S. residents, and submit by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 31, 2024. Gabriela Becker described the contest as an effort to forge a stronger connection between pizza and wine, Dan Richer will again lead the judging, and last year’s winning entry was a Dungeness crab pizza with spinach, artichokes, and cream sauce (2023 finalists included an Italian beef pizza with giardiniera, a prosciutto-and-jalapeño pizza, and a three-cheese pie with pancetta and balsamic glaze)." - Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner