winery

L'Ecole № 41

Columbia Valley, United States

Philosophy

Small-lot fermentation by hand with soft pressing, minimal intervention philosophy. Marty Clubb advocates for low-impact, targeted viticulture that allows fruit expression while preserving the terroir of fractured basalt and loess soils. Structured Bordeaux blends from high-elevation sites paired with restrained, mineral-driven white wines of compelling precision.

Reputation

Founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson as a retirement project, L'Ecole № 41 was the third winery established in the Walla Walla Valley. The iconic 1915 Frenchtown schoolhouse, built that year and operating as a school until 1974, was purchased by the Fergusons in 1977 with the intention of housing their winery.

AllocationL'Ecole is direct-to-consumer and widely distributed nationally; no single US importer identified. Production figures vary slightly across sources (30,000–45,000 cases annually); used higher recent estimate (53,000 cases in one 2021 source, 45,000 in 2019 source). Estate vineyards (Ferguson 30 acres planted 2008, Seven Hills partnership shares) both Certified Sustainable and Salmon Safe since ~2008 onwards. Third generation now active (Riley and Rebecca Clubb). Label canonical form is L'Ecole № 41 per official website. Semillon reputation as flagship white backed by multiple sources. 2011 Ferguson won Decanter World Wine Awards International Trophy for Best Bordeaux Blend in World (2014). Marty Clubb transitioned to full ownership in 1989; co-operates with children and COO Ryan Pennington (hired July 2023) and Director of Winemaking David Rosenthal.

No benchmark products catalogued for this producer yet.