As Arsenio Ayon wound up Redwood Retreat Road, he passed half a
dozen wineries. But he didn’t stop until the road ended in a gravel
path at Fernwood Cellars.
GILROY
As Arsenio Ayon wound up Redwood Retreat Road, he passed half a dozen wineries. But he didn’t stop until the road ended in a gravel path at Fernwood Cellars.
“They make the best red wine,” Ayon said with a shrug, as if his statement was obvious.
Matt Oetinger, 34, founded Fernwood Cellars in 2001 on the premise that quality is timeless. There are no granite countertops or hardwood floors in his tasting room. Instead, a small table, stools carved out of old wine barrels and a handful of topiaries are situated among rows of wine aging in French oak barrels. Oetinger spends his money on increasing the quality of his wines, rather than aesthetics.
Oetinger had selected four bottles of wine for Ayon to purchase as a holiday gift. When Oetinger handed him the box, Ayon didn’t even look inside. The selection was a surprise.
“I let Matt pick,” Ayon said. “I trust his judgment completely.”
Oetinger’s judgment of wines earned him the much coveted seat at the Vitners’ Holiday at the swanky Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. With about 70 small wineries vying for 16 spots, Oetinger was honored to be chosen for the opportunity to pour his wines next to big-name Napa wineries, Silver Oak and Chimney Rock.
“It was kinda wild,” Oetinger said. “I was signing empty wine bottles, used menus. Everyone wants to meet the wine maker. It was a little unnerving.”
The Vitners’ Holiday includes two days of seminars given by four wine makers and a five-course gala dinner in the Ahwahnee dining room.
“At the seminar, there was a sea of glasses and tables before me,” Oetinger said. As the new guy, he only expected a fair turnout for his lecture on growing wine in the mountains. “There ended up being standing room only. People were so into it.”
A self-proclaimed “wine geek” – as opposed to a wine snob – Oetinger is a second generation wine maker. He attended University of California, Davis while his father, Lew Oetinger, was making wine in Shingle Springs, 40 miles east of Sacramento. After he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in biology, he worked for the university’s viticulture and enology department.
He took his experience with various varietals and trellis systems from all over the state and opened his own winery on a century old homestead, Redwood Retreat Ranch, that was passed down to him by his ancestors.
With the help of his wife, Tiffany, Oetinger maintains the unique estate. The property is home to multiple microclimates that nurture a variety of wines, from its lush Vanumanutagi Chardonnay to its expressive merlot.
When asked which of his wines was his favorite, Oetinger couldn’t decide.
“That’s sort of like asking which child you love the most,” he said. “Wine is a living thing. Even when it’s in the bottle, it’s still growing and changing.”
A few fruit flies lingered from the harvest and buzzed through the rows of barrels. After the harvest season, Oetinger is inundated with holiday orders to fill and ship out. He has sold 3,000 cases of his wine this year.
“Making wine has become a lifestyle,” he said. “The rewards of my job reach far beyond the monetary aspect.”
