best known as a winemaker, was editor of "Staats Zeitung" (German newspaper in SF), Staff Member at Free Thinker's School (Philadelphia), Gold Refiner at SF Mint
Known for
Founded the second commercial winery in the Napa Valley
Charles Krug visited the United States from
Prussia in 1847, and became a citizen in 1852. In 1851 he served as an apprentice winemaker for
Agoston Haraszthy and then
John Patchett before establishing his own winery. Krug married Carolina Bale, the daughter of early Napa Valley pioneer and
millerEdward Turner Bale and granddaughter of María Isidora Vallejo of the prominent
CalifornioVallejo family, on December 26, 1860.[1]
The
dowry Bale left for her included 540 acres (2.19 km2) of land north of
St. Helena, California, on which Krug planted a vineyard and founded his winery in 1861. Charles Krug introduced innovative ideas in winemaking to California. He began making wine using a
cider press for
pressing,[3] carefully selected
rootstocks,
varietals and vineyard sites. The knowledge he gained and shared benefited the young California wine industry.[4][5][6]
Charles Krug Winery
Following Krug's death, James Moffitt Sr. purchased the winery in 1894. In 1943,
Robert Mondavi persuaded his parents, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, to purchase the inactive winery from Moffitt for $75,000.[7] Robert Mondavi began his wine career there, until he founded his own winery in 1966. The winery still exists, and is owned by Robert's younger brother Peter Mondavi's family.[8]