Forging Eden: An Impossible Dream and the Making of a Legendary Vineyard

“An inspirational story of a grape grower that pushed the frontiers of the possible and dared to dream of a perfect site to grow grapes. A joy to read.” – Aaron Pott, awarded winemaker of Napa Valley’s premier brands Blackbird, Quintessa and Seven Stones

At the height of Napa Valley's golden age, when prime Cabernet land was scarce, seasoned vintners toured a 750-acre property and found endless rock, immovable boulders, thin volcanic soil, and no water. A bad bet.

They all walked away.

Jan Krupp, a 50-year-old physician with three kids, no capital, and almost no experience in viticulture, went all in. Standing on that unforgiving mountainside, he envisioned what no one else could: its transformation into rows of vines yielding some of the region’s best fruit.

Against all odds, Jan and his brother Bart transformed that harsh terrain into the iconic Stagecoach Vineyard, one of the Napa Valley’s largest and most celebrated producers. Renowned for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, Stagecoach supplied fruit to Caymus, Spottswoode, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Duckhorn, Hall, Pahlmeyer, and dozens of others. It would also give rise to Jan and Bart’s own boutique winery, Krupp Brothers.

From that improbable bet, Krupp Brothers Winery was born. This is the story of a gamble that paid off. A man who abandoned the certainty of medicine to chase a vision only he could see. On a mountainside everyone else forsook, he found the life he was meant to live—and changed Napa Valley forever.

"This is a must read for anyone interested in the history of viticulture and winegrowing in Napa Valley.” – Robert Gallagher, viticulture expert and former director, Napa Farm Bureau

"This book will serve as a testament to a monumental achievement. ... Jan leaves no stone unturned, laying bare the personal and professional sacrifices made to develop one of the world’s most iconic vineyards.” – Dave Phinney, famed wine entrepreneur and founder of Orin Swift and The Prisoner