Charles Krug

Charles Krug (1825-1892) was among the original pioneers of winemaking in the Napa Valley, California, and was the founder of the winery of the same name.

Biography

Charles Krug first visited the United States from Prussia in 1847, becoming a citizen in 1852. In 1851 he served as an apprentice winemaker for both Agoston Haraszthy and then John Patchett before establishing his own winery. Krug married Carolina Bale, the daughter of early Napa Valley pioneer and miller Edward Turner Bale and granddaughter of María Isidora Vallejo of the prominent Californio Vallejo family, on December 26, 1860.

Krug was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Winemaking

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. Historically, Charles Krug introduced innovative ideas in winemaking to California. He began making wine using a cider press for pressing, carefully selected rootstocks, varietals and vineyard sites. The knowledge he gained and shared benefited the young California wine industry.