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| Landmark #814 | Napa County | Visited: July 13, 2014 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | This is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: Built by Frederick and Jacob Beringer, natives of Mainz, Germany, this winery has the unique distinction of never having ceased operations since its founding in 1876. Here, in the European tradition, were dug underground wine tunnels hundreds of feet in length. These maintain a constant temperature of 58 degrees, a factor considered necessary in the maturing and aging of fine wines.
OTHER TIDBITS: How was it possible for this winery to stay open all the way from the 1800s through the Prohibition Era to the present? Well, since the US government is not allowed to interfere in religious practices, the Beringers received a special license to sell sacramental wine to the Catholic Church! I think this is because the Beringer brothers made a great team, with Jacob making the wine and Frederick handling the finances! Oh, and did you know that when Jacob first started off in Napa Valley, he was the cellar foreman for Charles Krug! The Rhine House here is on the National Register of Historic Places! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: 2000 Main St St. Helena, CA 94574 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~421mi (678km) — 7.1hrs |
| When should I go? | Summer hours, from June through October 20th, are from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM! The winery closes at 5:00 from October 20th through May! |
