Markus Wine Co And Their Winemaker Markus Niggli

Swiss-born Markus Niggli was brought on by Steve Borra in 2006 to handle the cellar for Borra Vineyards, but Markus steadily climbed the ladder to winemaker in 2010. Markus was an early believer in natural winemaking with a goal of expressing the vineyard and each vintage as authentically as possible, resulting in his first releases of critically successful fresh and racy whites. These show his European influence with higher acidity, rather than the typical rich, full-bodied California style.

He has made a fan in noted wine writer Randy Caparoso, who wrote: “Borra now produces the most ‘contemporary’ style wines grown in Lodi today, period.”
But Markus does much more than make about 5,000 cases of wine each year. He works along with designers to come up with new labels; manages the cellar crew; and most importantly handles all wholesale and direct wine sales. Markus and his wife, Diane, are raising a family together in the City of Lodi.

Clear Lake wines and wineries is only a part of the focus of this article. While we will look at wines and wineries in the Clear Lake area, we will also consider other points of interest. As you are reading this article it is fair to say that you enjoy wine tasting and visiting wineries. Still if you are spending a day or days in any give wine area or region, we usually don’t spend our entire time in the tasting room. That being said, we will look at other ways to make the visit to this wine producing region of California by considering accommodations, dining, tasting rooms, and other activities of interest that Clear Lake has to offer.

While I don’t visit Clear Lake as often as I use to, the lake and the countryside hold fond memories for me. I remember staying at the Marina Hotel with my parents and later taking my family as well to enjoy a getaway. The Marina is a simple place to stay but it was oh, so convenient if you had a bass boat you want to launch. I remember going out with my dad in his boat and fishing for some lunker bass. Taking my family and just enjoying the stay for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In fact, both my father Jack Krause and my cousin Danny Krause did more than one Bass tournament at Clear Lake.

When I first started to drink wine, I tried to do it the as I had seen people in the movies or on television. You know with hand clasped around the glass’s bowl. Perhaps the television and movie screens aren’t the best resource for learning the ropes. Because yes, there is a proper way to hold a wine glass—and it matters. So, let us fine-tune our skills, and enhance our wine experience. Here is everything you need to know to hold your next glass of wine like a pro.

How You Hold a Wine Glass - Does it Really Matter?

There are so many different wine glasses to choose from. Decorative, elegant, and so many different types to select from in size, shape, and of course price.

Did you know that there is a wine glass for just about every kind of wine?

Some basic wine glasses are for full-bodied red wine, light-bodied red wine, Rose or a spicy red wine, sparkling wine, light-bodied white wine, and fortified wines.

We will share more on the different types of wine glasses in a future article; "Why are there so many different types of wine glasses?"

Before learning how to properly hold your wine glass, and if it matters, let's look at the "whys" of holding your glass of wine. How you handle your glass helps you get the most out of your wine experience for three main reasons:

Photo Courtesy Riedel Wine Glasses

You are planning to go to your first wine tasting at a winery. This adventure can be both exciting and intimidating. For those new to the Wine Trails of California, or any state for that matter, it may seem like certain wine and winery protocol and understand is required to enter the world of wine. The goal here is to provide some wine tasting tips that will help you to enjoy the winery experience. If you consider yourself knowledgeable about your winery adventures and tasting wine I hope that you enjoy these reminders.

While it is good to understand some basics you do not have to become a wine expert to enjoy you visit. With a little knowledge you can calm any pre-tasting jitters that you might have. While wine tasting at wineries and tasting rooms have some common etiquette, it is still about enjoying yourself and the wines that are served during your visit. Here are a few tips and important points to keep in mind to help you step up to your next tasting with confidence.

You Are in The Tasting Room - What to Expect

Photo Credit Cuvee Wine Cellars - San Carlos, CA

California wine tasting is so enjoyable and getting to know the people behind the wines can be a lot of fun. While talking with Jon Björk at Markus Wine Co I noticed that he had listed a French Colombard. Back while Jon and I were talking wines I had in mind the warm weather that would soon be on its way. Well, warm was a bit of a miscalculations as it has been a hot July 2021 all over California and the Western United States. Enough of that, back to the French Colombard that Jon sent my way. Jon marked on the unlabeled bottle that this wine is a 2020 French Colombard, and that Labeling was scheduled for some time in April. Well, I am glad I got this bottle because recently I learned that all the French Colombard produced had been purchased for another bottling. So, this makes this bottle just a little bit rare and I thought I would share it with you in this review.

This Colombard From Markus Wine Co has a nice acid balance along with sufficient residual sugar. Be sure to give it a good chill first on a day like today, forecast is for the triple-digits. Now that you wine has a good chill on it you can see how the aromas change as it warms in the glass.
 
A little bit on wines produced with Colombard grapes
Most information on Colombard tells us that the grape grows the best on sandy, dry soils and even clay loams.  Colombard is a high yielding variety. In the San Joaquin valley of California, Colombard is cultivated midseason with harvest beginning usually in mid to late August. Where does Colombard grow?