Napa Valley | Wine Tourist

Charles Krug is the oldest operating winery in Napa Valley

2800 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574

Charles Krug Winery is a historic landmark in Napa Valley. Charles Krug, a Prussian immigrant, established the winery in 1861. It was the first winery in Napa Valley to open its doors to the public in 1882. Charles Krug was a major influencer for Napa Valley’s wine region during his era. After he passed away in 1892, a man named James Moffett purchased the winery and held onto it through Prohibition. Then in 1943, James Moffett sold the winery to Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa Mondavi. Cesare wanted the winery to be a family business and named his older son Robert as General Manager and put his younger Peter in charge of wine production.

Unfortunately there was a riff between Robert and Peter in the 1960s that split the family apart and Robert left to start his own winery in Oakville. Peter stayed on to run the winery and continued operations after both of his parents passed away. Peter, staying true to his father’s vision of maintaining a family run winery, has given his two sons Marc and Peter Jr. major roles in guiding the operation of the winery for the next generation. Peter Sr. who is celebrating his 100^th birthday in 2014 is still actively involved in the winery.

The historic Carriage House at Charles Krug winery.

There are several historic landmarks still on the property, including the house where Cesare and Rosa resided, now the home of Peter Sr.; the Redwood Cellar that was built in 1872; and the Carriage House that Krug built for his wife Carolina in 1881. The Carriage House went through a large renovation in 2013 and houses the new tasting room. I stopped in to visit the new tasting room soon after it opened. It is much nicer than the old tasting room which felt cramped and ordinary. The new tasting room has a nice balance of elegance and rusticity. It is huge in comparison to the former tasting room. Guests enter through the large wooden doors of the Carriage House. The walls are made of cement, the floor is covered in a light gray tile, and wood beams frame the rest of the room and ceiling. On the far left side of the room is the tasting bar that spans the width of the room. It is made of steel and a large slab of wood with lighting underneath. Behind the bar is a wooden wine rack that covers the entire wall. There are tables and chairs throughout the center of the room with flower pots and wine bottle centerpieces. The space reminded me of being in an Italian restaurant.

Charles Krug Tasting Room

The wall opposite the entrance has some glassed-in sections that look down into the wine cellar. To the far right of the room is the section where the deli will reside (The deli was not yet complete when I visited. We were told it would be finished in the summer of 2014). To the left of the tasting bar is a small hallway that leads to a glass elevator and a private tasting room. Within the private room is some memorabilia such old wine bottles and labels and a bronze bust of Peter Mondavi Sr. The wine club manager who showed us around informed us that the second floor would be reserved for wine club members who want to relax and have a more one-on-one experience when they visit.

Charles Krug Winery focuses on Bordeaux style wines. They also make Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a Zinfandel Port that is delicious with dark chocolate.All of their wines are high quality. The winery also hosts Tastings on the Lawn each fall on the Great Lawn adjacent to the Carriage House with live music, food from local chefs, meet-and-greets with the Mondavi family, lots of wine and other fun activities.

My husband and I got to meet Peter Mondavi, Sr. at a Tastings on the Lawn event in 2010. He was 95 years old.

1111 White Lane, St. Helena, CA

Website: www.vsattui.com

My husband and I sort of stumbled upon this winery. We had never heard the name V. Sattui back home. We had made a reservation for a tour at the new Del Dotto caves across the street but we had an extra hour to spare before the tour started. Looking to make the most out of our time, we decided to try out another winery close by while waiting. When we saw all of the cars in the parking lot to V. Sattui we thought, “This looks like a popular place. Let’s see what it’s all about!”

There are a couple reasons why V. Sattui is a popular stop along Highway 29. It has a large picnic area and a great deli! On top of that, they have a wide selection of wines that includes sparkling wines, Chardonnays, dry whites, fruity whites, rosés, Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons, a variety of other reds, and dessert wines. I would say this is a good stop for a beginner wine drinker because there is so much to choose from, there’s bound to be something to suit everyone’s palate. Plus, the tasting fee is lower than many other wineries in the area. All of the V. Sattui wines are sold exclusively at the winery. My husband and I have made it a tradition to stop here every time we are in Napa Valley to pick up a loaf of French bread and artichoke cheese spread. We take it with us and snack on it in between winery stops. The best part is that the deli opens early so we can stop in on our way to the first tasting of the day and have a snack for later.

Let me give the bigger picture of the appeal of V. Sattui Winery. First of all, the winery owner Dario Sattui has dedicated his life to making the winery a success and carrying on a tradition that his great grandfather Vittorio started in 1885. Vittorio Sattui emigrated from Italy and started St. Helena Wine Cellars in San Francisco. He later changed the name to V. Sattui Wine Company, which became known for its high quality wines sourced from St. Helena grapes. The winery was very successful until Prohibition came along in 1920 and the winery was forced to close its doors. Dario had a dream of re-starting the family winery and did so in 1974 with very little money and much hard work. He worked 12 – 14 hour days, seven days a week, and slept in a sleeping bag on the tasting room floor for several months in the first years that the winery was open. Since he had so little money to start with, he had to do everything by hand because he couldn’t afford the equipment or people to make the wine. His long hours and dedication to making world-class wines has paid off. V. Sattui is proud to boast about the many awards it has won for its wines.

V. Sattui’s main tasting room

The deli at V. Sattui

Today, the original stone winery building is covered in vines and houses the European-Style Marketplace with a gourmet market and deli and the newly remodeled tasting room. The Marketplace is almost like a large warehouse with food in one half and wine in the other. The deli provides a selection of 200 cheeses, meats, salads, sandwiches, and prepared foods. They offer free samples of their cheeses.

Outside the original winery is 2 ½ acres of picnic area with shaded tables and chairs for guests purchasing wine or food. During the weekends in the spring, summer, and fall, there is an outdoor barbecue with wood-fired pizzas and a mozzarella bar. For those more interested in the history of the winery or production of the wine, there is a self-guided tour through the new stone winery building, underground aging cellars and small museum. We also encountered the friendly winery cats roaming around the property.

I have recommended this winery to anyone who has asked me where to go in Napa Valley for all of the reasons I have just mentioned. It is easy to get caught up with all of the “big name” wineries in Napa and pay $15 – $20 or more in tasting fees for a sample of 3-4 wines. At V. Sattui, visitors can try out some wines they won’t find at home for a small fee, eat some great food, and relax in the outdoor picnic area. Remember though, this place draws in a crowd and will be busy on a nice, sunny day.

Wine Tourist

My journeys in wine country.

Category Archives: Napa Valley

Charles Krug Winery

V. Sattui