Steve and Lori Felten, fifth-generation grape growers in the Lodi region, uphold the tradition of cultivating "Old Vine" Zinfandel vineyards originally planted by their ancestors in the early 1900s.

Their family's journey began in Germany, Russia, and later the Dakotas before settling in Lodi. Initially producing watermelons, they soon recognized the region's ideal soil and climate for grape cultivation. They began planting various grape varieties, including Zinfandel, Tokay, Carignane, and Alicante. For over a century, the family has diligently nurtured the land with the goal of producing top-quality fruit. Zinfandel was among the first grape varieties introduced in the Lodi appellation, though it had already been established in other parts of California.

Originally, grapes were packed in boxes and shipped to the East Coast and Canada for home winemaking. In the early years, nearly all of the Zinfandel grapes were sent off, except for those used for home winemaking.

By the mid-1930s, grapes were primarily sold to cooperatives and larger private wineries, with only a small portion of production shipped east.

Historically, the vineyards were irrigated using flood or ditch methods, which led to larger yields of marginal quality due to the difficulty in regulating water application. In the late 1980s, the introduction of drip irrigation allowed for precise control over water distribution to each vine. This innovation enabled better control of vine vigor, resulting in healthier fruit and ultimately, lower yields. With the adoption of advanced vineyard practices such as shoot thinning, leaf pulling, color thinning, and the removal of second crops, the family was able to achieve the production of exceptionally high-quality grapes.

Part of the extended Felten Family includes their winemaker, Barry Gnekow, who is responsible for crafting the wines from the inaugural vintage. Barry, a Davis graduate with over 25 years of experience of winemaking, has a unique ability to bring the best of the vineyard into the cellar, year after year, producing wines of distinction for Klinker Brick.

Another extended family member is Lynne Whyte Barnard, the President of Klinker Brick Winery. Lynne has brought a wealth of entrepreneurial experience to the winery, having owned her own wholesale company and directing sales and marketing for prestigious wine producers in California. She was instrumental in the development of the Old Ghost wine, label design and has been responsible for selling all of the vintages produced to date, developing national and international distribution.

It was the dream of a young Dutch immigrant to cultivate quality grapes and produce exceptional wines. After arriving in the United States shortly after World War II, John Van Ruiten Sr. settled in the Lodi area. His aspiration to own land became a reality in the early 1950s when, through his own hard work, he purchased his first vineyard property. He planted Zinfandel vines and began growing wine grapes in the Lodi Appellation.

The Van Ruiten family believes that hard work and an unwavering commitment to producing top-quality grapes and award-winning wines are the cornerstones of their business.

Five decades later, the Van Ruitens farm over 800 acres of wine grapes, with only their finest fruit destined to bear the family name. After more than fifty years, their ambition was realized with the construction of the Van Ruiten Family Winery, completed just before the 2000 harvest. Now, two generations of the Van Ruiten family work together to tend the vineyards and manage the winery.

With renowned winemaker Helen Turley behind the scenes, they produce incredibly rich Pinots and Zins, plus a host of delicious white wine.