Krupp Brothers Winery
I've been fortunate to be working with the very talented Lea Gourley on these weekly posts. Since I am not a writer, she has been able to capture in words, the very true essence of these wineries that we visit. I think this may be my favorite one so far. Please take a moment to read. This is about the vineyard/winery we all know and love in Napa...the Stagecoach Vineyard and the story of how it began is so fascinating!
Last week we briefly touched on the dedication and resilience required to coax grapes out of the mountains of Napa, particularly in the Atlas Peak AVA. Krupp Brothers Winery is a beautiful example of manifesting a grand vision despite grand obstacles. In this case the obstacles were the absence of water, a billion pounds of stubborn rock and boulders (literally), and a road to build that would first require 135 legal documents.
Dr. Jan Krupp practiced internal medicine for 20 years, during which time he also tended to a 41 acre vineyard in Napa. His true passion lay with the grapes, and in 1993 he purchased 750 acres of land on Atlas Peak-land that only a true visionary would’ve had the gumption and determination to transform into what is now the world renown Stagecoach Vineyard.
First he hired 2 geologists to dig for water. They dug hundreds of feet deep in several locations on the property to no avail. This took time and money, and the results were nil. Dr. Krupp refused to give up and he ventured outside the box and hired a Water Witch. A Water Witch (also called a Dowser) holds two wire rods and roams the property until the rods cross- ideally you’ll find water there.
Sounds hokey, right? Well this Water Witch convinced Dr. Krupp to return to the sites of the failed well experiments and keep digging. He did, and at 430 feet they stumbled upon a bit of water…an entire underground river of water actually.
Clearing the land was next. A billion pounds of stubborn rock and boulders is a lot. For 6 years Dr. Krupp cleared the land 100 acres at a time. And here’s what’s cool about that-he used that rock to pave more than 30 miles of road.
Eventually the road was built (135 documents!) and Stagecoach Vineyard took its place as one of the most coveted vineyards around. Grapes are sold to Opus 1, Screaming Eagle, Miner Family Winery and Chappellet, just to name a few. There’s actually a waiting list to acquire these grapes! The name Stagecoach harkens back to the stagecoach days of Napa, and each of Krupp Brothers labels stems from history. Each bottle of wine tells a story.
History, elegance, and perseverance are the prevalent moods at Krupp Brothers Winery. The stunning grounds will transport you right into Tuscany, and a tasting led by the passionate, approachable, and knowledgeable Alma will be the highlight of your Napa winetasting adventure. – Lea Gourley
