Interview: Jim Morris, Charles Krug winery on his top places to love in Napa Valley and Sonoma
Jim Morris, VP Guest Relations, Charles Krug, the oldest winery in Napa Valley.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Jim Morris from Charles Krug on Twitter Spaces, Twitter’s new audio-only live broadcast feature. It is part of my ongoing interviews series on Twitter Spaces, asking notable people about what they love about their home countries/cities to inspire travellers to visit once we can travel again.
Jim Morris loves to talk about wine and if you listen intently you are apt to learn a lot. He has worked in the wine industry for a couple of decades, following a long-time business in printing. “It’s the greatest job in the world!”
If asked what his favourite wine is, he will tell you “the glass in front of me.” That’s diplomatic! Jim has a great sense of humour and is approachable, so when I asked him if he’d talk to me about wine and what he loves about Napa Valley, where Jim works, and Sonoma , where he lives, he agreed.
Screenshot of my iPhone from my Twitter Space during our interview
For the past 3 years, the Napa Valley region has had horrendous natural disasters including fires, flooding and an earthquake in 2015. And now a pandemic. “Now all I’m waiting for are the locusts and frogs,” he says jokingly with his signature humour. But Napa and Sonoma have much to love.
Jim Morris’s top places to love in Napa Valley and Sonoma:
1. Visit the Napa wineries:
Charles Krug winery (naturally) is a must, where they will provide you with a warm welcome.
At Charles Krug, they hold concerts on the grounds (1,000 acres of vineyard land and they also still farm on their land), and now have the Blue Note Napa Jazz Club. In Napa, the cabernet varietal is king, so the winery’s signature wine is a cabernet and also sauvignon blanc.
Presently, Charles Krug is open and also doing virtual tastings and online events. You can find out more and get updates on their website.
2. The Sonoma coast: more relaxed and laid back than Napa, is known for as a culinary destination, and for its craft beers, mom and pop wineries and restaurants; and where there are many small farmers, particularly dairy and livestock farmers, which means it is ideal to experience farm-to-table food.
3. The Redwoods parks/forests, beaches and grasslands along Northern California’s coast.
For more information, check out the websites to see what is open (Covid) and any other updates.
Twitter Spaces series Places: Top Reasons to Love, I interview notable people on Spaces (live audio) about what they love about their home cities/countries, to inspire travellers to visit when we can travel again. I blog here about highlights from our conversations.
*Photo credit: Charles Krug courtesy of Charles Krug
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, author, international speaker and loves to explore the world through travel and wine. Watch her interviews at ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com. Join me live for Inspiring Conversations on Twitter Spaces, M-F at 10am EST. Follow me at @Shannon_Skinner to join (you need an iPhone or Android phone).
