BEHIND THE WINES: MIDDLE OAK WINES
I recently saw a quote from Matthew McConaughey where he said, "Steinbeck says it's a state of mind...In Texas, there is a certain honor of being a Texan that is a measure of doing something the best that you can.” This line seems to capture the spirit of what I have experienced as I met, talked with, and tasted the wines of a few Texans who have ventured into the world of California winemaking.
The world of wine can seem very small sometimes. In the vast ocean of 36 billion bottles of wine produced each year, I love that I can hear about and meet producers who might only make one barrel (about 360 bottles) of a wine in their portfolio. And they might make two to three barrels of a few others. What motivates them? What started it all? I set out to learn the stories behind some Texans, still living in Texas, who decided to make wines in California. How did they create their own California-based wine brands? I had to know.
the story behind MIDDLE OAK WINES
I have known Christina Skinner, the vintner and proprietor of Middle Oak Wines, for a few years now. We were introduced by a mutual wine acquaintance, Chris Klein, owner of PHAMUS Wines and Red Cap Vineyards. Chris factors into how Christina decided to make her own wines. Her journey is a curious one because for the longest time she really hated wine. That changed when she attended a wine tasting in Canada while on a cruise. She realized that certain wines, when paired with the right foods, heightened the experience. From that point forward, she began a quest to discover the style of wine she preferred.
Christina is a music and art lover, and she was especially intrigued by San Francisco artist Margaret Keane. At one art show she saw Keane’s “Ladies of Lusso” painting, the wine label art for the Allora Vineyards “Lusso” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. She knew she had to taste that wine! Allora Vineyards is owned by Chris Klein’s parents, and Christina met Chris during her tasting there. Chris introduced her to their winemaker, Rudy Zuidema, and the three became close friends over the next few years. Christina loved the style of Rudy’s wines.
She became so enamored with wine; she explored being a distributor in Texas. Instead, she acquired a winery license because it allowed her to know exactly what’s in the glass for the wines she offers. With the help of Chris and Rudy she put together a plan to produce her own wines. Rudy manages the core winemaking. She and Rudy closely coordinate the blending amounts during the barrel tastings, and she also taps into Chris’ experience. Ultimately, it is Christina who owns the final decisions. She controls what’s in the glass.
I was curious about how she names her wines because I noticed all her individual wine names have a theatrical or musical reference. The “Middle C” Cabernet Franc and the “Rudy’s Riff” red blend are two of my favorites. Christina says, “Everything is like a painting or a musical in my head.” The love of music took over her life and carried her through her high school years. She even sang competitively. As she puts it, “Naming the wines this way was a natural progression of things in my heart and mind.” This passion absolutely shows itself in the wines.
Visit Christina’s website here: Middle Oak Wines
