The first time I met Matt Oetinger was at a charity event last
fall. The Gilroy Foundation was having its annual
”
Day in the Country
”
fund-raiser at CordeValle Golf Club and Resort in San
Martin.
The first time I met Matt Oetinger was at a charity event last fall. The Gilroy Foundation was having its annual “Day in the Country” fund-raiser at CordeValle Golf Club and Resort in San Martin. Some wineries were set up outside, offering wine to the 150 guests. I happened to be pouring for Leal Vineyards, and Matt was pouring for Fernwood Cellars, the winery in Gilroy that he owns and operates.
Upon completion of our tasks that day, Matt and I did what a lot of winery folks do – we traded each other a bottle of wine. I slipped Matt our estate syrah, and he gave me his 2003 Santa Cruz Mountains zinfandel. I took the wine home, placed it in my wine cellar (OK, really my bedroom closet) and kind of forgot about it.
Last week, I was grilling up some portobello mushrooms and decided to really give Matt’s zinfandel a close examination.
I am glad I did not have company that night, for I would have been a rude host – I was not going to share that zinfandel with anyone. This wine was about the best zinfandel I have tasted! It was robust and full of berries, clove and pepper. This heavenly experience reminded me I needed to contact Matt and see what he’s been up to lately.
Matt Oetinger’s foray into wine almost came by accident. He was enrolled at the University of California, Davis, studying to be a veterinarian. Matt’s father, Lew Oetinger, was planting grapes and making wine in Shingle Springs, Calif. Through regular visits to Shingle Springs to assist his father, Matt became intimately involved with both the grape-growing and wine-making process.
“I started looking at how long and how much money it was going to take to become a veterinarian. I decided to switch my focus in my junior year,” Matt said. “I was able to audit a few courses in viticulture and enology, and then graduated with a degree in biology.”
Wanting more exposure in the world of wine, Matt started looking for some way to gain experience. With hard work, eagerness and a bit of good luck, he landed a position as chief research assistant with none other than Jim Wolpert, the UC-Davis Viticulture and Enology Department’s chair.
“I was traveling all over, gaining exposure to various grape varieties, root stocks and trellis systems. It was all so fast and intense, but an experience I will never forget,” Matt said.
One of the things Matt noticed he had was a sensitive palate – something many wine-drinkers have, he said, even if they don’t consider themselves connoisseurs.
“A lot of people have good palates. They think the inability to describe wine in flavors and aromas is a sign of a bad palate. That’s not a sensory barrier, but rather a language barrier,” Matt said, which is an encouragement to those who are intimidated by wine.
After honing his skills as a vineyard manager for Clos LaChance Winery in San Martin, Matt decided to start Fernwood Cellars, a name chosen while having dinner with relatives.
Fernwood Cellars is located at the end of Redwood Retreat Road in Gilroy, occupying space in the 100-acre parcel of what was the original 400-acre Redwood Retreat Ranch.
“When I started the winery, we had the bones of what a good winery needs: plenty of land, water and a great microclimate,” Matt said.
Fernwood Cellars produces about 2,000 cases a year, just enough to supply a few vendors and the winery’s ever-growing wine club.
“At some point, we may ramp up to about 3,500 cases maximum, but that is where it will stop,” Matt said. “I want to make estate wines that are varietal-specific and carry on the long-held traditions of winemaking. My grapes will come to the door balanced and with the structure to create unique wines. If you have the patience, our wines can be laid down for years and they will increase in value and in complexity.”
The winery is simple and functional.
“I do not have marble entry ways or the newest equipment. I invest my money into whatever comes into direct contact with the wine. I try to buy the best bottles, oak barrels, corks, etc.,” Matt said.
Matt loves the lifestyle, which he said was built by hard work, family and friends.
“I do not have a comfort level with pushing paper,” he said. “The fun in this job is the people.”
On April 30, Fernwood Cellars will hold a spring-release event. Two wines will be prominently featured: the 2003 estate cabernet sauvignon and the 2004 chardonnay. I had a chance to taste both, and like the zinfandel before them, they were fantastic. The chardonnay, $30, was layered with a bit of oak, citrus, honey and pineapple. The cabernet sauvignon, $40, was smooth, elegant and had a long, succulent finish.
Fernwood Cellars
– 7137 Redwood Retreat Road, Gilroy
– Phone: (408) 848-0611
– Fax: (408) 848-1237
– www.fernwoodcellars.com
– From noon-4pm April 30, Fernwood Cellars will hold a spring-release event. Two wines will be prominently featured: the 2003 estate cabernet sauvignon and the 2004 chardonnay. For more information, contact the winery.
Bottle of the Week
Calera Wine Company, Hollister
Wine: 2001 Jensen pinot noir
Flavor: fresh raspberries, blackberries, vanilla bean and spice, with a long finish and scent of oak
Where: The wine can be purchased at the winery, 11300 Cienega Road in Hollister, and in selected retail shops. Call (831) 637-9170 or go to www.calerawine.com. The tasting room is open 11am-4:30pm Friday-Sunday and by appointment Monday-Thursday.
