It is all in the family at Klinker Brink Winery. For six generations, the Felten family has devoted their lives to farming and the art and craft of winemaking, transforming a modest patch of land in Lodi, California, into a legacy vineyard admired across the region. There, nestled in the heart of the Zinfandel capitol of the world, stands Klinker Brick Winery, a family-owned business whose story is woven into the very fabric of the community.
Continuing their ancestor’s tradition of cultivating “Old Vine” Zinfandel vineyards planted back in the early 1900’s, owners, Steve and Lori Felten, fifth-generation grape growers, launched the first vintage of Old Vine Zinfandel and founded Klinker Brink Winery. Now celebrating 25 years, Klinker Brink has grown into a cherished local institution, a symbol of endurance, generosity, and the steady passing of tradition from one generation to the next.
Klinker Brick Winery was named after the highly prized Klinker Bricks that adorn many of Lodi’s historic buildings. The wine has a distinctive rich deep color and enormous density just like the Klinker Bricks.
Klinker Brick Winery has built a reputation for producing world-class wines with relentless attention to detail that provide exceptional flavor, balance, and authenticity. The winery’s flagship Old Vine Zinfandel and other varietals like Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon showcase the richness of these unique vintages, making them favorites among wine enthusiasts.
Another reason customers remain loyal is the unique story and heritage behind the brand. The Felten family’s legacy of farming in Lodi, resonates with buyers who value authenticity. Their wines are not just beverages—they are a continuation of a family tradition spanning more than a century. This heritage, combined with the winery’s role in shaping Lodi’s Zinfandel culture, gives customers a sense of connection and pride when they purchase Klinker Brick Wines. And there is one thing that customers can always rely on from Klinker Brick Wines, and that is quality.
Steve attributes the winery’s continued success to several factors as he relays, “We put the quality of our wine first. It starts with the grapes. We grow just the right amount of Old Vine Zinfandel grapes. If the volume it too big, the quality goes down. One of the keys is not to ‘over crop’ and control the number of grapes on each vine.”
Winemaking is a meticulous process, and key components are essential, namely, the right ingredients, the right recipe and the right team. Klinker Brick has all three.
Klinker Brick’s right ingredients start with “Old Vines”, also known as Ancient Vines, Old World Vines or Twisted Vines, that are at least fifty years old. These Ancient Gnarly Vines which produce the most rich, intense and multi-dimensional Zinfandel, have fewer clusters of grapes, but yield more intense sugars, color and concentration of flavors that produce a better, balanced vintage.
The Klinker Brick team are masters at picking these succulent grapes at exactly the right sugar level, and utilizing their award-winning recipe, the grapes are crushed, fermented, stored, and then bottled to perfection.
For Steve, the legacy is more than a business—it is a living story of resilience, craftsmanship, community trust, and first and foremost, “passion”, as he relates, “One thing is that you do have to be passionate about your product. You can have a good product, but if you are not passionate about it, you might as well not go into business.”
Steve’s excitement about the winery is also evident in his daily actions with the customers, as he explains, “I make it a point every single day to go out and greet the customers who come to the winery. I believe that people want to meet the owners. When they see how excited you are about your product, they become excited as well.”
What fills Steve with the greatest pride, however, is seeing his daughter, Farrah Felten-Jolley, VP of Sales and Marketing’s exceptional leadership at Klinker Brink Winery. As a sixth-generation steward of the family craft, Farrah brings both reverence for tradition and an eye toward the future. One of Farrah’s first projects was launching Klinker Bricks’ Tasting Room, which has become a regional standout in the area.
Farrah along with husband, Stefan Jolley, VP of Operations, are also focused on the evolving world of wine culture, as they honor the past, while shaping the future and leveraging technology to connect with younger wine enthusiasts and expand the brand.
Yet at the core of everything they do remains the heart of the family legacy: a belief that wine is more than a product—it is a story, a memory, and a connection that is all in the family, passed lovingly from one generation to the next.
Be the first to comment