In 2026, Beringer Vineyards proudly marks 150 years as Napa Valley’s longest continuously operating winery – a legacy built on vision, craftsmanship, and innovation since 1876. This milestone is more than an anniversary; it’s a tribute to generations of winemakers, the beauty of Napa Valley, and the enduring spirit that shaped California wine.
As they grew the Napa region’s vineyards and wineries, the immigrants who founded and staffed them continued to cherish the culture of the table they’d brought with them, along with their winegrowing and making skills. For them, no meal was complete without a bottle of wine shared with friends, family, and neighbors. This simple pleasure took time to gain wider recognition in America, but once it did, Napa Valley emerged as a celebrated center for food and wine.
The Rhine House: Where hospitality begins
In 1966, during the 100th anniversary of the founding our winery, the entire property, including both houses, the stone winery, gardens, trees, and outbuildings, achieved landmark status and were added to California’s list of historic places. Jacob and Frederick Beringer probably wouldn’t have been particularly surprised. Long before Napa Valley became a world-renowned food-and-wine destination, it was their intention to create a welcoming place of lasting beauty and significance in their chosen home region.
Almost as soon as they had wines in their cellar, Jacob and Frederick Beringer began planning a grand house to celebrate those wines in. Built between 1883 and 1884, the Rhine House, a replica of the brothers’ family home in Germany’s famed Rhine Valley wine country, may have been Frederick’s house, but it was first and foremost a place for entertaining and sharing Beringer wines with friends, neighbors, and guests from around the globe.
Officially named Villa Beringer, the property was almost immediately redubbed Rhine House by the construction crew and other St. Helena residents. Local sources claim the house cost more than twice as much to construct as the brothers originally spent for the entire property — upwards of $30,000, including $6,000 for the stained-glass windows alone.
In keeping with its prominent role as the public heart of the business, the Rhine House was built at the front of the property, right on the busy St. Helena Toll Road, separated only by a low stone wall. Hudson House, which had been on the site originally, was moved 200 feet to a more secluded location Jacob preferred and remodeled for his family’s needs. In addition to their beautiful residences and stone winery, the Beringers also planted 75 elm trees on either side of the road. As a cherished part of the Beringer Historic District, the stately trees of the Elm Tunnel are lovingly maintained and replaced as age requires, helping them to continue to provide a shady arbor of foliage in the heart of the city
To kick off the Rhine House project, Jacob held a reportedly liberal tasting of his wines, followed by the laying of the cornerstone. No one is entirely sure what it contains, but based on news coverage, we believe there’s a copy of the day’s St. Helena Star and other newspapers, business cards of the notables in attendance, photographic prints, a $20 gold piece, a grape vine cutting, Beringer company letterhead, bottles of wine, and a telegram from Frederick Beringer sent from his home at the time, New York City. It exclaimed: “Let the new building be home of peace, brotherly love, and good fellowship with all.”
For the love of food and wine
What do volcanoes and wine country culinary culture have to do with each other? You’d be surprised. The region’s grapevine-covered valleys and hillsides maybe look peaceful, but they have an explosive ancient history that helped create ideal conditions for growing food-friendly wines. Let’s take a closer look at one of our prized vineyards, Knights Valley.
Located next door to Napa in the far eastern corner of the Sonoma growing region, Knights Valley earned recognition as an AVA in 1983, due mainly to the efforts of the Beringer family. Rising 4,000 feet above the Knights Valley floor, Mount Saint Helena’s distinctive “M” shape is the result of an explosion and massive landslide that poured the entire side of the mountain down into the valley about 11,000 years ago, dramatically changing the course of the Napa River. The landslide filled the valley with large, rounded rocks called puddingstones, made from compacted ash and gravel. These stones trap heat during the day and gently release it at night to slowly ripen fruit for exceptional concentration.
Despite Knights Valley not resembling pretty much any other vineyard in land or climate, the Beringers recognized the potential riches the valley could reveal. They acquired it from the state of California, which had changed its mind about building a dam there for a reservoir, and spent the next several decades exploring the winemaking possibilities, proving the distinctiveness of the terroir. The Bordeaux-style varietals we grow in Knights Valley today burst with “wild” aromas, bright acidity, concentrated pure fruit flavors, and unique textures that beautifully complement a remarkable range of foods.
Throughout wine country, the combination of soils laid by volcanos, rivers, streams, and stormwater runoff has created a complex, layered environment that’s just right, especially for growing wine that’s crafted to be enjoyed with meals.
How Napa Valley Became a Culinary Destination
Europe has always been well versed in the joys of the table. So, it stands to reason that the people who nearly 200 years ago recognized a climate in California that was perfect for making wine would transplant their enjoyment of food and wine as well as their vines. However, that epicurean lifestyle didn’t always translate from the winery enclaves those mostly German, French, and Italian immigrants established to the broader Napa farming community or to the American national culture as a whole. Until the 1970s.
Millions of everyday Americans served in Europe during World War II and in the years after. Many of these soldiers gained an appreciation for the wine and food they experienced there and wanted to recreate it at home. The rise of jet travel exposed more and more Americans to the European lifestyle, continuing to grow the foothold the “culture of the table” had gained in the States. What was the tipping point? The massive Baby Boomer generation. When this nearly 80 million-strong cohort began coming of age, they enthusiastically embraced the trend and brought it firmly into the mainstream. At the heart of it all was Napa Valley.
What had always been the hidden gem of wine-and-food culture, suddenly grew by leaps and bounds. This burgeoning reputation was boosted by a campaign from the region’s wineries explaining how wine, paired with meals, could elevate the everyday. New restaurants and winery culinary programs opened to meet demand by wine tourists excited to explore the Napa Valley lifestyle. And today, many would argue, it’s impossible to find anything less than outstanding cuisine here. Whether it’s gourmet hotdogs and Zinfandel from a food truck, tapas in a winery tasting room, or a three-star pairing diner, the cultural inheritance of those pioneers of California wine and food can be experienced at every turn.
FAQs
Do you have a summer recipe that pairs well with Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon?
This Grilled Corn, Farro & Parmesan Salad is satisfying on its own or with grilled meats. Its light char and natural sweetness connect beautifully with Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon’s dark fruit and oak influence. It serves 6–8 and only takes about 15 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to cook.
Can I visit Beringer’s Rhine House?
Yes! We have a wide range of tasting and tour experiences, and even a free weekend summer music series called The Mix. You can learn more and book your visit here. And if you’re getting married soon or know someone who is, Bering’s also a gorgeous place to host a wedding, with a variety of enchanting private spaces. View our wedding couples’ image gallery and learn more about Beringer weddings here.
Can I take part I Beringer’s 150th anniversary celebration?
Yes, we’re celebrating all year long, and you’re invited! Check out the calendar of events at the winery and in the St. Helena community and plan your visit now. You can also help us commemorate our milestone anniversary by adding your special Beringer memories to our “Beringer Time Capsule.”
