George and Birgit Klause
From Vienna to the Vines: A Love Story
You may have stumbled across the stunning photos of wedding couples at Airola Road Vineyards with lake New Melones gracing the background, but you may be surprised to know that the homeowners George and Birgit Klause chose to offer their little slice of Heaven up as a wedding venue because of their own love story.
30 Years and Counting
It all began just over 30 years ago in Vienna, where Birgit was attending university. She was having a chat with a friend about her life and faith, and he told her that she absolutely must let him introduce her to his good friend in California who shares the same outlook. Now, you might guess that person her friend told her to meet was George, but that’s not entirely how he entered the picture (we will get to that part).
Birgit was introduced to Peter Klause, the younger brother of George, and the two became pen-pals. As fate would have it, and as older brothers often are, George became curious as to who this new friend was that Peter was writing to and he began to include letters to her as well. For a while they were all becoming friends through letters back and forth from Austria to America… you know, back in the day before Facebook when people had to use snail mail to get to know one another. Over time, Peter became more distracted with his own life in California and ultimately stopped including letters, but George continued to write to Birgit. Throughout the course of a year they became quite close and George invited Birgit to America to meet him in person for the first time.
With anticipation brewing, Birgit’s flight arrived in California and George, who is a bit pensive by nature, pondered what this person who he was writing to all this time was like. Was she who she said she is? Is she cute? Have I made a huge mistake? I suppose this may have been one of the very first interactions with the possibility that they could be “catfished”, a term that didn’t even exist yet in that pre-internet-dating era!
When You Know You Know!
George bought a bouquet of flowers to greet her, but made Peter hold on to them prepared to chuck them in the nearest trash can if she wasn’t who she said she was. As she exited the terminal he took one look at her and realized that not only was it really her, but she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. He was smitten. He quickly grabbed the flowers from Peter’s hands and eagerly greeted her. George and Birgit would spend the week getting to know one another in person, and by the end of that week, George (who doesn’t make any decisions quickly whatsoever) asked Birgit to be his wife. She said yes. When you know, you know!
The Commitment
Shortly after, George travelled to Austria to ask her father for Birgit’s hand in marriage as a proper gentleman often does. To his surprise, Birgit had already told them the news and George arrived to the chaos of two parents who recently learned their daughter would soon be whisked away to California to begin a new life. They ultimately gave their blessing (after a few tears). George and Birgit were married in Vienna Austria and began their life together in Southern California where they built a beautiful marriage and welcomed four children.
On their 25th anniversary, the couple visited Napa.
Birgit recalled her youth in Austria surrounded by lush vineyards, and the two of them reminisced about their wedding in Vienna and how they fell in love writing letters to one another from across the world.
This little trip rekindled their young love and the pair decided to renew their vows although this time, George included a new promise… that one day he would find a Vineyard home to share with his bride.
