Charles Krug Winery's new tasting room has glamour in store

High, open-beam ceilings draw the eye up, a giant wall of 1861 label wine draws the eye over, and minimalistic clusters of rustic furniture draw crowds through with ease.

[...] that's not cheap, though each flight offers five different wines, with the $40 taste scoring extras of Zinfandel port and chocolate, and the $50 taste bringing limited releases like the 240-case, 2008 Stone Man Cabernet Sauvignon ($100).

Yet even at the $20 level, the host pulled out the stops, adding in an extra taste of the 2012 Limited Dr. Galante Pinot Noir ($50) when she discovered we really liked that varietal.

[...] when she figured out we were history buffs, she dropped everything and led us on a private tour of the entire facility, taking us behind glass walls to view an ancient, original glass-pipe-capped redwood tank soaring to the ceiling, rows of reserve barrels, and a new steel and glass elevator linking the main floor and mezzanine.

The $20 "Classic" tasting is a good value and good exposure for the Charles Krug label, showcasing the familiar Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($18), Carneros Chardonnay ($21), Carneros Pinot Noir ($28), Napa Valley Merlot ($25), and Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon ($30).

Groups can reserve private tastings in the library room, sitting at a long communal table next to a temperature-controlled reserve cellar showcasing vintages of Charles Krug wines back to the 1940s.

History buffs, too, will want to take a look at the time capsule buried in the floor near the front door.