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FERREN
Matt Courtney grew up in Danville and attended Cal as a philosophy major. After graduation, he worked in area restaurants which lead him to Chez Panisse and his first exposure to the world of fine wine. He began studying for the M.S. exam while working with Ken Fredickson MS at Terroir Bistro in Jackson Hole and it was there that he began to feel that winemaking, not wine tasting, was his true calling. A day spent with Jacques Ladiere in the cellars of Louis Jadot confirmed it. It was back to school, this time at UC Davis, to study
viticulture and enology, and right out of school he was tapped by Helen Turley to replace his friend, Brian Marcy (Big Table Farm) as her assistant at Marcassin Vineyards. He remained there from 2005-2013 and the day after his departure started Ferren Wines with David Wherritt, a good from UC Berkeley. Ferren, an auld English word meaning, “far or distant” encapsulates the remoteness of the Sonoma Coast, from which all the fruit for Ferren is sourced - Frei Rd., Silver Eagle, Lancel Creek and soon Volpert Vineyard. At present, 1,000 cases of Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot are made at Arista Winery where Matt works as winemaker. Ferren is a “must have” for any wine list and we are thrilled to be representing them.
