Tag: charles krug

A delightful blend of old town charm and chic vitality, St. Helena in California is nestled in the heart of the Napa Valley, about 90 minutes northeast of San Francisco.

The first thing to know about St. Helena (Heh-LEE-nah) is: it’s a real, genuine town with a rich and interesting modern day history that dates back to the early 1840s. The town was incorporated in 1886, a full 25 years after Charles Krug founded the valley’s first commercial winery here. It was home to many Napa Valley pioneers, including Jacob and Frederick Beringer, and is considered to be the birthplace of the valley’s wine industry. Today, St. Helena is a cozy, yet vibrant and upbeat community dedicated to wine country hospitality; in fact, it is often referred to as the Napa Valley’s Main Street.

Now in its third century, Charles Krug Winery is the quintessential example of a multigenerational winery that fuses tradition and innovation to craft wines of high acclaim. It is the oldest winery in the Napa Valley and has been owned and operated by the Peter Mondavi, Sr. family for four generations.

The winery dates back to 1861, when it was founded by Charles Krug, a Prussian immigrant, teacher, revolutionary, and visionary. Charles was extremely innovative. In fact, he introduced the cider press for winemaking, and carefully selected rootstocks, varieties, and vineyard sites—all concepts unheard of in his time.