Who’s Who in the Wine World: Dr. George Belden Crane: 1800s pioneer

#1 Dr. George Belden Crane

Some wine names are well-known among wine enthusiasts, for example Robert Mondavi. Decades earlier Dr. George Belden Crane was pioneering planting grapevines in Napa Valley. Dr. Crane noticed the similarity of conditions to other world wine regions. It is believed that Dr. Crane was the first in Napa Valley in the mid 1800s to plant European varieties in his pioneering efforts to produce great wine. Recently while reading a wine article, I came upon Dr. Crane’s name. A little research provided me with a wonderful account of his importance.

Dr. George Belden Crane Facts

Dr. Crane is considered a major founder of the Napa Valley wine industry

• Dr. Crane was born in New York in 1806; died in Saint Helena, California in 1898. According to his obituary, “1853 he sailed around the Horn to California. The doctor shortly afterward came to St. Helena and engaged in the wine industry, in which he was very successful.”
• About 1858 or 1861 he planted a vineyard in St. Helena
• “Dr. Crane, realizing the similarity of conditions to other great wine regions, was the first in the valley in 1861 to plant European varieties in his pioneering efforts to produce great wine,” according to the www.historicvineyardsociety.org.
• A National Park Service document stated that Dr. Crane established the first winery on his property in St. Helena.
• Dr. Crane hired Ramos to help him construct a Sherry House; they also built a distillery for brandy.

Eventually the heirs of Dr. Crane sold a portion of the property to the Silverstrin family. The Silverstrin website explains, “It all began when Italian immigrants John and Emma Salvestrin fell in love with St. Helena while visiting friends in the early 1920’s. In 1932 they purchased a portion of the historic Crane Ranch, including the Victorian home of Dr. Crane.  With the repeal of prohibition in 1933, they started selling grapes and the industry began to grow again.”

According to the Beckstoffer Vineyards website, “Napa pioneer Dr. George Belden Crane originally planted Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard in 1858. During the 1920’s the Chinatown of the City of St. Helena was located on the site. Acquired by Beckstoffer Vineyards in 1997, the vineyard’s gravelly loam soils were replanted in 1998 to multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.”

Most sources claim the late 1850s as the original planting of the vineyard; another site notes that the Old Crane vineyard was planted in the 1880s. (Perhaps this 1880s date was a typo or the 1880s date was a replanting of vines.) The Historic Vineyard Society website states: “Planted in the 1880’s by Dr. George Belden Crane, these historic vines? roots are embedded in ground that was formed over centuries as soil and gravel washed down from the Mayacamas Mountains via Sulphur Creek to the western flank of St. Helena. Dr. Crane, realizing the similarity of conditions to other great wine regions, was the first in the valley in 1861 to plant European varieties in his pioneering efforts to produce great wine.”

Today much of the former Crane vineyards has been replaced by a local high school site. However grapes from the existing historic Crane site are also sold to other wineries including:  Realm Cellars, Paul Hobbs Winery, B Cellars and Knights Bridge Winery & Vineyards.

If you have additional information about pioneer Dr. George Belden Crane, I’d like to hear from you.

Please check back and discover more people of the wine world.

Cheers!
Kathy