Mark Ketcham had long dreamt of owning a Vineyard in the Northern California wine country. That dream came true in 2000 when he purchased a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard in the heart of the Russian River Valley. The vineyard was quickly converted to 100% Estate Pinot Noir, while retaining the 'Old Block Pinots' that were its heritage.

For nearly fifty years, four generations of our family have enjoyed the natural beauty and diverse flora and fauna of Kimmel Ranch. It is a welcome place to gather and and even more stunning place to explore, no matter the season. THEIR PASSIONS: Great Wine, Family, Friends, & the Land.

Kirigin Cellars is one of California’s oldest wineries. We are little-known but have been an enduring part of California’s wine country since 1916. We are located fewer than 30 miles south of downtown San Jose.

Kirigin Cellars is one of the most delightful gems in Santa Clara County, nestled within 33 acres of rolling vineyards, nine acres of cricket lawns, over 1,000 rose bushes, and 100 towering redwood sequoias, all framed by scenic hills and rangeland. The winery’s historic buildings, wine-tasting areas, and a newly added Tuscan-style Club House exude a charming old-world atmosphere.

Since its founding, this family-owned winery has upheld a tradition of offering a relaxed, unpretentious wine-tasting experience with a warm, old-fashioned hospitality. Kirigin Cellars handcrafts small batches of exquisite wines from grapes grown right on the property. Eleven different grape varieties are cultivated here—Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malvasia Bianca, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel—all of which are crushed within hours of picking at each harvest.

The historic winery opens daily at 10:00 a.m., inviting visitors to explore its wines until 5:00 p.m. The picturesque grounds are also open for picnics and tours, making it a perfect destination for wine lovers.

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.