L'Ecole No. 41

Jean and Baker Ferguson founded L'Ecole No. 41 in 1983 in the historic Frenchtown Schoolhouse #41, a 1915 schoolhouse building in the Frenchtown community west of Walla Walla city. Frenchtown was historically a settlement of French-Canadian immigrants who came to the Walla Walla Valley in the late 19th century; the schoolhouse served the community's children through the early-to-mid 20th century before falling into disuse. The Fergusons purchased the schoolhouse property and converted the building into a winery, preserving the schoolhouse exterior architecture and incorporating the visual identity into the producer's brand. The Frenchtown heritage and the L'Ecole (French for 'the school') name reflect the producer's French-Canadian connection and the broader Walla Walla cultural heritage. The 1983 founding placed L'Ecole as the third Walla Walla modern winery and a foundational member of the broader Walla Walla three (alongside Leonetti and Woodward Canyon); the producer has continuously operated from the schoolhouse property for over four decades, with the building remaining the visual anchor of the winery's identity.

• Jean and Baker Ferguson founded L'Ecole No. 41 in 1983 in 1915 Frenchtown Schoolhouse #41; Frenchtown community west of Walla Walla city
• Frenchtown: historically a settlement of French-Canadian immigrants who came to Walla Walla Valley in late 19th century; schoolhouse served community through early-to-mid 20th century
• Schoolhouse exterior preserved + visual identity incorporated into producer's brand; L'Ecole (French 'the school') name reflects French-Canadian heritage
• Third Walla Walla modern winery (1983); foundational member of Walla Walla three (Leonetti + Woodward Canyon + L'Ecole); continuously operated from schoolhouse property for over four decades

Marty Clubb and Megan Clubb (Jean and Baker Ferguson's daughter) took over L'Ecole's day-to-day operations in 1989 and have continued the family operation through subsequent decades. Marty Clubb is Owner and Managing Winemaker and is overseeing a generational transition; Megan Clubb is a co-owner and serves on the L'Ecole No. 41 Board of Directors. In November 2025 David Rosenthal joined as Director of Winemaking, leading vineyard and winemaking activities and reporting to Chief Operating Officer Ryan Pennington; Rosenthal previously spent 22 years at Chateau Ste. Michelle. The Clubb family operation parallels the multi-generation family structures of Leonetti (Figgins family) and Woodward Canyon (Small family), establishing a Walla Walla three pattern of family succession from founding generation to subsequent generations. Marty and Megan's children Riley Clubb and Rebecca Olson are co-owners serving on the Board of Directors as the family continues its multi-generation trajectory. The Clubb family also operates the broader Frenchtown Schoolhouse property and contributes to the broader Walla Walla wine community through Marty's roles on industry boards and through community engagement. Marty Clubb's mentorship of subsequent Walla Walla winemakers (including Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars, who began winemaking under Clubb at L'Ecole before founding his own operation in 1995) has been a significant contribution to Walla Walla's broader producer development.

• Megan Clubb (Ferguson daughter) and husband Marty Clubb joined L'Ecole in 1989; Marty Clubb is Owner and Managing Winemaker overseeing a generational transition; Megan Clubb is a co-owner on the Board of Directors
• Family succession parallel: matches Leonetti Figgins family + Woodward Canyon Small family multi-generation patterns; next-generation co-owners Riley Clubb and Rebecca Olson on the Board of Directors
• Mentorship: Marty Clubb mentored Eric Dunham (founder of Dunham Cellars 1995, who began winemaking under Clubb at L'Ecole); significant contribution to broader WW producer development
• Current leadership: David Rosenthal, Director of Winemaking (joined November 2025), leads vineyard and winemaking activities and reports to Chief Operating Officer Ryan Pennington

L'Ecole's only estate-owned vineyard is Ferguson Vineyard, a 42-acre high-elevation site on a ridge of ancient lava flows overlooking the Walla Walla Valley, planted in 2008 to Bordeaux varieties and exclusive to L'Ecole. The producer also purchases fruit from two of Walla Walla's most-cited vineyard sites: Seven Hills Vineyard, owned by Crimson Wine Group, from which L'Ecole has bought grapes for decades, and Pepper Bridge Vineyard, owned by Pepper Bridge Winery. Beyond these, L'Ecole sources from selected Walla Walla and broader Columbia Valley sites for specific varietal and price-tier needs. This sourcing supports the Walla Walla Valley AVA designation for many L'Ecole bottlings; broader Columbia Valley designations apply to specific bottlings using cross-valley fruit.

• Ferguson Vineyard: L'Ecole's only estate-owned vineyard; 42-acre high-elevation site on a ridge of ancient lava flows, planted 2008 to Bordeaux varieties, exclusive to L'Ecole
• Seven Hills Vineyard: owned by Crimson Wine Group; L'Ecole has purchased grapes from it for decades; sources the Perigee and the Luminesce estate white
• Pepper Bridge Vineyard: owned by Pepper Bridge Winery; a purchased-fruit source for L'Ecole, including the Apogee Bordeaux blend
• Sourcing model: estate-owned Ferguson Vineyard plus purchased fruit from Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge, and selected WW/CV sources; Walla Walla Valley AVA primary designation; Columbia Valley designation for cross-valley fruit

L'Ecole's lineup is broader than the Leonetti and Woodward Canyon counterparts, encompassing both Bordeaux varieties and a notable white wine program. The red lineup includes the Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Merlot (Seven Hills sourced), Estate Cabernet Franc, the Apogee (Pepper Bridge Vineyard Bordeaux blend), the Perigee (Seven Hills Vineyard Bordeaux blend), the Ferguson (estate Ferguson Vineyard Bordeaux blend named for founders Jean and Baker), and Syrah from selected sources. The white wine program is distinctive: Luminesce (the estate Seven Hills Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend, around 60% Sémillon, a long-standing L'Ecole flagship), a standalone Columbia Valley Sémillon, Chenin Blanc (rare among WA producers, produced since 1987 from old-vine Yakima Valley fruit), Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. L'Ecole's distinctive Sémillon-led blends and Chenin Blanc bottlings have earned strong critical reception and represent a Walla Walla white wine specialty within the broader WA red-dominant landscape. Production across the lineup totals approximately 45,000 cases per year, distributed both through mailing list and broader wholesale.

• Red lineup: Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Estate Merlot (Seven Hills) + Estate Cab Franc + Apogee (Pepper Bridge Bordeaux blend) + Perigee (Seven Hills Bordeaux blend) + Ferguson (highland estate Bordeaux blend named for founders)
• White wine program: Luminesce (estate Seven Hills Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend, ~60% Sémillon, long-standing flagship), Columbia Valley Sémillon, Chenin Blanc (rare among WA producers, old-vine Yakima Valley fruit since 1987), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
• L'Ecole white wine specialty: Sémillon-led blends and Chenin Blanc bottlings have earned strong critical reception; represent WW white wine specialty within broader WA red-dominant landscape
• Production: ~45,000 cases/year across lineup; both mailing-list and broader wholesale distribution