On Napa Valley’s Eastern side off the Silverado Trail, you will find the Krupp Brothers winery. The beautiful property hosts guests for tastings at the foot of the Vaca Mountains at a Tuscan-style estate. But this was not where the story began.
The Story of Stagecoach Vineyard
In 1991, Dr. Jan Krupp moved to Napa and began tending grapes at his family home. From his back porch, Jan could look across to a large plot of land that was unplanted. Those 1250 acres came on the market, and Jan and his brother Bart took a chance.
No one had tried growing wine grapes in the volcanic soil on that property in the Vaca Mountains on Soda Canyon Rd. Neighboring vineyards were curious as to how it would go. Jan has always been curious, so in 1993, they started planting and planting a wide range of grapes and clones to see how they would do. It was all a big experiment. It turned out to be well worth the risk. This vineyard, which they named Stagecoach, now produces some of the most coveted and sought-after fruit in Napa Valley.
It wasn’t easy. They had to dynamite to break up the rocks to plant the vines. And that was after the search for water. Water was an unknown quantity here, and the property had no utilities. They would have to drill to find water. Specialists had suggested that perhaps they would find water after digging about 300 feet. But where to dig?
On recommendation, they brought in a dowser (also known as a water witch). Using 2 dowsing rods, she walked the property looking for water. Eventually, she found the spot. Below this spot, she told them, flowed an underground river. So they dug. After 300 feet, they still came up dry. Keep digging, she told them. At 400 feet, they hit water, indeed, the underground river that she spoke of.
Stagecoach vineyard supplied grapes to 93 winemakers, and in 1999, the brothers began using some of the fruit they liked best to make their own wines.
650 acres of the 1250-acre property are planted to wine grapes, employing a staff of 350. It is the largest contiguous vineyard in Napa Valley
Two golden eagles roamed the property, and other raptors and rescue birds were brought in to keep the rodent population down and the biodiversity up. Jan planted 1000 olive trees.
In 2017, they sold the vineyard to Gallo. It was not an easy decision. This was Jan’s baby. But a billion dollars is a tough offer to turn down. The brothers retained their favorite blocks, and Jan still works the vineyard. His brother Bart sadly passed away in late January at 75.
It was then that they invested in the new property, where you can visit and taste the wines.
The Wines and the Stories of Krupp Brothers with Nikki Lincoln
This was a bit of the story that Nikki Lincoln, the Krupp Brothers Regional Sales Manager and Director of Hospitality, told us over lunch at Estiatorio Milos at the Venetian last week.
Nikki has been with the Krupp Brothers for about 13 years, and she exudes love for the people of this winery and this place. It’s a joy to hear her tell the stories.
As we sat for lunch, we tasted 5 wines, with details and stories in between.
2021 Krupp Brothers Chardonnay Napa Valley
This wine comes from 2 blocks on the Stagecoach vineyard that gets the Bay Breezes and sits at 1300 feet on a north-facing slope. Nikki says this is a labor-intensive wine. The winemaker incorporates 3 inoculations of yeast: 1 for mouthfeel, 1 for melon notes, and 1 that is a Sauvignon Blanc yeast. This is barrel fermented and then ages sur lee for 17 month in 60% new French oak.
The nose is creamy with lemon curd and sweet oak. In my mouth, it was smokier, like charred lemon. It is rich without being buttery on the palate, with acidity to make it good for food pairing. As it opened further, I got notes of peach and cantaloupe.
Production: 491 cases – 15.5% abv – $75.00 SRP
It paired beautifully with the Milos tomato salad. I know, a tomato salad, doesn’t sound like much, but this simple salad, with large chunks of fresh tomato, slices of cucumber, green pepper and red onion, in a simple dressing, is so beautifully seasoned, that it is perfection. I was sitting with a group of Sommeliers familiar with all of the important restaurants in Las Vegas. All agreed that this simple salad is well-known in the Vegas food community.
2021 Krupp Brothers The Water Witch Napa Valley
This wine is named for the dowser who found water on the Stagecoach vineyard so long ago. This is a blend of 39% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet. Sauvignon, 11% Syrah, 11% Tempranillo, 10% Malbec, 9% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.
There are only 11 acres of Tempranillo in the Napa Valley, and the Krupp Brothers have 6 of them.
After a cold soak, the grapes spend 2 weeks on their skins. They age 19 months in 96% New French Oak.
The nose was black fruit and spice, and in your mouth, it is elegant with tannins like cocoa powder and brambly fruit.
Production: 502 cases – 15.4% abv – $100.00 SRP
This went well with the roasted eggplant salad and roast chicken, which was my main course.
2021 Krupp Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
This was a bonus wine that was not expected in the line-up. I found notes of candied and stewed fruit. They produced 423 cases of this wine. Sadly I do not have additional notes or details on this wine.
2021 Krupp Brothers Veraison Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
This wine is their #1 seller. It is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It ages for 19 months in 90% New French Oak. The fruit comes from Stagecoach, the Krupp Brothers Estate, Lynne’s Vineyard, and J2.
This wine is lush and deep with black fruits, like blackberry and black currant, with notes of licorice and spice.
Production 839 cases – 15.6% abv – $135.00 SRP
2021 Krupp Brothers M5 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
The M5 is the pièce de resistance for the Krupp Brothers. This wine comes from Jan’s favorite block. He originally planted 22 clones of Cabernet. The M5 sat in a bowl that missed the Bay breezes and got more sun. One day, his son came and told him that he really needed to try the fruit from this block. It quickly became his favorite.
These vines grow at 1,420-1,550 feet, and one of the clones included in this wine is the Wiemer clone from Chateau Latour.
Aged 19 months in 95% New French Oak, this wine is a leader in Napa Valley Cabernets and will drink well through at least 2040.
Production: 444 cases – 14.8% abv – $250.00 SRP
Nikki’s Story – Her Path to Krupp Brothers
We finished with dessert, and I chose the yogurt at the recommendation of our server. We were at a Greek restaurant, so I anticipated that it would be delicious, but I was unprepared. Rich and thick with a topping of berries and light syrup…it was so lush and decadent that I involuntarily closed my eyes as I savored the first bite. Who knew that yogurt could be so delicious?
Before leaving, Nikki shared with me a bit more of her story of how she came to Krupp Brothers. She grew up in Napa and, like any young person, wanted to get away. She spent time in DC and then Paris, returning home to find a job to make enough money to return to Paris. While she was a Napa native, she didn’t really know much about wine. She interviewed for a job at Grgich Hills with Mike Grgich, having no idea who he was. He said if she could make him laugh, he would hire her, and then she would spend each day learning something new and becoming better and better at selling his wines.
She loved it there, and it wasn’t easy for her to leave. But a friend told her about a job with Krupp Brothers. She visited the Stagecoach vineyard and looked out at San Francisco from above the fog layer. It was stunning. She couldn’t believe you could get to come to work at somewhere so beautiful. So she made a teary farewell to Grgich Hills and came to Krupp Brothers.
She loves this place and the people so dearly. She deeply loved Bart and is still heartbroken at his passing. She speaks with such authentic enthusiasm about this place, its people, and its stories. She has convinced me. I have to visit, to see this place with my own eyes, and hear her excitedly tell more stories, for there are many more to tell.
Finding Krupp Brothers Wine
You can find Krupp Brother wines on their site at https://www.kruppbrothers.com/.
Las Vegas restaurants can find them through Regency Wines Nevada, where they are part of their portfolio. https://www.regencywines.com/
More on the wines of Napa Valley
- Driving Route 29 through Napa Valley and enjoying wine tasting with horses at Tamber Bey
- Groth 2019 Estate White – This Beautiful Inaugural Vintage Kicks it off in Style
- Spaghetti with blue cheese, sausage, orange peppers, and walnuts – perfect to pair with Merlot
- 2 Rutherford Hill Merlots and decadent burgers with chocolate!
- Celebrating Sauvignon Blanc Day at the table with St. Supéry and easy Middle Eastern Dishes
- Coffee, Art and a Morning Stroll in Yountville
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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