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COPIA — The Museum of Self-Importance

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Sonoma Valley Sun

Napa’s COPIA has been sold, hopefully to house something more tangible than false promises. Built on that particular Napa Valley terroir of ego and self-importance, the facility opened in 2001, dedicated to “the discovery, understanding, and celebration of wine, food and the arts in American culture.”

Put more simply, “The Museum of Pretentiousness.”

But even with invoking the hallowed name of Julia Child, as in the anchor restaurant Julia’s Kitchen, the endeavor fell flatter than a bad soufflé. Management quickly discovered that American culture wasn’t advanced to the point of plunking down a hefty admission charge to see a collection of Julia’s copper pans, tour an edible garden and pay $15 for a glass of house wine.

Was Robert Mondavi well meaning when he poured in the first $50 million? Of course. But of all his philanthropic deeds, none could have had less import or meaning than legitimizing a glorified mini-mall, complete with movie theatre. That the concept was actually realized was a tribute less to wine and food than marketing consultants and savvy fundraisers. Forget the business plan, let’s see the wine list.

Initial financing totaled $78 million. You don’t have to tour the yeast exhibit to know that’s a lot of bread. But projecting 300,000 annual visitors, who were then expected to (over)pay for lunch, cooking demos and James Beard bobble head dolls in the gift shop, was sheer folly. To the masses and investors was sold a wine country mystique the experience itself could never deliver.

— Val Robichaud




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