St Helena AVA - Napa - Charles Krug Winery

Charles Krug

Peter Mondavi Sr. Family Estate

One of the reasons wine tasting is such a unique and memorable activity is the rich history involved at each winery you visit. When everything comes together as it should during a wine tasting, you find yourself immersed in the story, the culture, and the history of whichever winery you happen to be at. That sense of the past; the feeling of being carried away with the story is what compels us to be drawn to a certain wine over and over again.

If you feel like-minded, then you definitely want to experience the Charles Krug Winery during your next wine tasting adventure. As the oldest winery and tasting room in Napa, it offers the perfect mix of history and innovation. Established in 1861 by Charles Krug himself, and taken over by the Mondavi family in 1943, you could easily spend the whole day here, sipping wine, learning the history, and enjoying the elegant yet inviting ambience. 

Peter Mondavi Sr. had a vision of a Redwood Cellar that would be open to the public in order to share the sense of legacy he had always enjoyed so much at Charles Krug Winery. He was able to see that vision come to fruition before his passing, and tasting wine here feels like paying homage to an old friend. So when you visit, raise a glass and toast the legacies who made it possible to stand in that spot, to sip that wine, and experience that moment.  -Lea Gourley

Oakville AVA - Napa - Oakville Grocery

Oakville Grocery

So let’s say you’ve been out wine tasting in Napa all day and you’re ready for some food. You want a meal, but you don’t want to go to a fancy sit down restaurant, and you’re not exactly sure what you’re in the mood for.

Here’s what you do; head on over to Oakville Grocery right in the heart of Napa. This place was established in 1881-it’s a historical landmark, and the longest continually running grocery store in California.

This isn’t just a grocery store though. This place has a little bit of everything-all fresh and local. From artisan cheeses and olives, to freshly made sandwiches, wood fired pizzas, and a stunning array of local jams, mustards, and tapenades. You could spend hours browsing the wine selection alone.

Dandy and I split a sandwich made with smoked chicken breast, gruyere, and sweet & spicy mustard. We also had some pesto pasta, fresh garlic hummus, and a caprese salad. We ordered our food and then sat outside overlooking the stunning mountain views. I could have easily gone in and ordered a whole other meal and done it all over again.

Next to the store is a Victorian House with a rich museum, showcasing some of the tools and highlights of each Napa AVA that Jean-Charles Boisset established.  If you’re a history buff, you’ll love this.

And here’s the thing that really sets this place apart, especially for you wine lovers. You’ve heard of Opus One and Screaming Eagle Vineyards, yes? Those are some of the upper echelon wines that put Napa on the map-but their bottle prices aren’t for the faint of heart. At Oakville Grocery you can taste a sample of some of those wines. (Screaming Eagle was available for a few months and by the glass was $600…but at least you could try it without having to buy the bottle) They’ll set you back a few bucks, but you can go home and brag to your friends that you drank, literally, some of the most famous wines in the world.