Robert Krug

Charles Krug is where Napa Valley winemaking started. Krug established it in 1861, and the Mondavi family bought the estate in 1943, running it for more than seventy-five years across four generations. That makes it the oldest winery estate in the valley and a sensible first stop for anyone trying to understand how the region grew.

The offerings run from the Napa Valley core wines through Limited Release to the Family Reserve, all from sustainably farmed family estates. Tastings on the Lawn are the signature format and worth timing your visit around. Michael scores the staff an 8. It sits on Main Street in St. Helena, so it slots easily into a central Napa itinerary alongside the town's other historic names.