Historical Wineries in Napa & Sonoma

Wineries for the history buff.

 

Buena Vista tasting room in what was the press house,
a gravity-fed winery, built 1862
image from buenavistawinery.com

In Sonoma County

Buena Vista, est. 1857
The oldest operating winery in the state. Historic buildings, including the one housing the tasting room. The current owner has spent a lot of money restoring the property. Take the tour to see more of the history.

Foppiano, est. 1896
The founder, Giovanni Foppiano, purchased an existing winery in 1896. The tour gives you more of the family's history. Note: Due to family in-fighting, the winery was recently sold to a local wine company, so I'm not sure what's happening with the historical part of the tours.

Gundlach Bundschu, est. 1858
The second-oldest operating winery in the state and the oldest continuously family owned winery. Six generations have farmed the estate Rhinefarm Vineyards. The original winery, in San Francisco, was lost in the 1906 earthquake. It was restarted by Jim Bundschu at the Rhinefarm estate in Sonoma in the early 1970s. There are tours of the historic property spring, summer, and fall.

Korbel, est. 1882
The descendants of the Korbel founders sold the winery to the current owners, the Heck family, in the 1950s. Take the tour to get the historical aspects, including their museum. The tour starts at the old train station, built in 1876.

Sebastiani, est. 1904
After the son of founder August Sebastiani passed in 1980 things went downhill for the wine family that was a big part of the town of Sonoma's life. Family squabbles led to selling the winery about 25 years ago. It is now owned by a billionaire collector of wineries, Bill Foley. I haven't been here in 20 years, and I'm skeptical that you'll get much Sebastiani family history when visiting.

 

Beringer Rhine House, 1884
image from beringer.com

 

In Napa County

Beaulieu, est. 1900
Founded by a French immigrant, Georges de Latour. The Beaulieu Cabernet Sauvignon probably holds more historical significance than any other premium American wine.

Beringer, est. 1875
California's oldest continuously operating winery. The Rhine House, built 1883, was the founder's house. The Old Winery Tour & Tasting is the best way to learn the history.

Charles Krug, est. 1861
Napa Valley's first winery. It's been owned by the Mondavi family since 1943. The Tour & Tasting will get you around the old estate.

Chateau Montelena, est. 1888
Founded by Alfred Tubbs and owned by the Barrett family for 50 years. Tidbit: Tubbs made his fortune making and selling rope during the Gold Rush. A lot of people got rich off of the miners. The most famous event for Montelena is the victory at the Judgement of Paris in 1976. The movie Bottle Shock is loosely based on this. There's a tour and tasting package, or you can walk the grounds yourself.

Inglenook, est. 1879
Founder, Gustave Neibaum, acquired the original estate property. Over the years he purchased other parcels to create an 1,100 acre estate. Construction started on the chateau in 1881. Francis Ford Coppola purchased the estate in 1975. There are tours and tastings that will let you see and hear the long history of the winery.

Regusci, est. 1878  as Occidental Winery
In 1878 the Napa pioneering Occidental Winery was established. At the end of Prohibition and in the midst of the Great Depression, Gaetano Regusci purchased the ranch to raise cattle. In 1970 the family starts the switch to wine grapes. After years of growing grapes for others, Regusci Winery was founded in 1996.

Stags' Leap, est. 1872
Note: Not the same as Stag's Leap Wine Cellar, I know, confusing. 
The land has been through a series of owners, often with wine making as a secondary pursuit. In 1872 the Yajome Rancho was consolidated where the winery estate is now. The manor house was built some years later. It was known as Stags' Leap Manor, a resort for San Francisco's wealthy. The stories remind me of the history of the Hearst Castle, also an old playground for the rich and famous. In 1970 the new owner of Stags' Leap went on a decade long restoration of the estate including starting wine production under the Stags' Leap label. The current owner is Treasury Wine Estates.

One of Gaetano Regusci's dairy delivery trucks from the 1930s
image from regusciwinery.com