Founded in 2007, the Fenton Winery & Brewery is a destination location with many amenities including the Dream Machine Distillery. The award winning and innovative microbrewery, winery, and distillery is located on the north end of Fenton, MI in the Township. The 5 acre property includes a public taproom, a dog friendly out door seating area, a separate full service wedding and banquet venue, a retail area for carry-out, and a park-like garden area for outdoor seating, lawn gaming, ceremonies, and gatherings of any size. Fenton Winery & Brewery strives to strike balance in producing wine, beer, and spirits with equal intensity and quality.
Matt and Ginny Sherrow, both born and raised in Waterford, Michigan, have lived in the Fenton area for more than 18 years, and have truly enjoyed becoming a part of the Fenton business community. Matt and Ginny have two sons, Joshua and Kyle, who help out in the business when they can.
Matt is an automotive engineer turned wine maker/brewer. A Kettering University alum with a ME degree, Matt is now primarily in charge of all production operations at the FWB. He initially fell in love with the idea of entrepreneurship while earning an MBA at DePaul University in Chicago. The original plan after DePaul was to work up the corporate ladder to eventually manage a manufacturing plant; however, Marketing and Entrepreneurship classes at DePaul changed everything – the idea of starting a small business had been born.
Ginny’s passion is finance. A proud Clemson University graduate with a degree in Finance and investments; she also garnered advanced certificates in accounting and personal finance. And so she oversees all finance matters as well as the sales side of the business. Supporting herself through college by serving and bartending rounded out her background to be able to manage the team, the atmosphere, and operations of service.
Creating Fenton Winery & Brewery was the perfect opportunity to combine a shared love of small batch, craft beverages with the desire to start and grow a small business. Together they strive to make sure the guests’ experience inside the glass and around the glass is always just right.
MATT SHERROW, FOUNDER/OWNER
GINNY SHERROW, FOUNDER/OWNER
HANS #BrewDogHans
CHRIS KOSKINEN, HEAD CHEF
DAN KIRBY, SALES & OPS DIRECTOR
OLIVER HACKNEY, OPS MANAGER, CICERONE CERTIFIED
JOE SIRL, SALES & MARKETING MANAGER
NICK LEPPECK, KITCHEN TEAM MEMBER
CINDY KOERBER, TAPROOM MANAGER CICERONE CERTIFIED
The Sherrow’s passion for the crafts began long before the business. All their travels as a couple seemed to land them either at a winery or brewery, helping them develop their knowledge base of the industry and its delicious products. With the determination to open a business around something they loved, they put ideas to plan, and using personal financing, they opened the Fenton Winery to the public in 2008 within a small strip mall space located on North Leroy St. in Fenton.
After five years in the strip mall, Matt and Ginny took a leap of faith in order to get into their own building. In 2012, a vacant Fenton Township property was bid on and purchased by the couple to be outfitted for the winery and brewery operations. Previously a wood working company, the 5 acre property was home to two abandoned buildings. It took several years of blood and sweat equity to renovate and repurpose the property and buildings.
In 2013, a new 7bbl microbrewery system was purchased and installed to successfully move all beer production with scaled up recipes of many favorites including Staggering Bull Imperial Nut Brown Ale, Eminent Double IPA and Swingin’ Berries.
In June 2014, the strip mall location was closed and total operations moved to 1370 N. Long Lake Road. The new public taproom was opened providing an “in-brewery” feel. The open-air brewery provides for dog friendly outdoor seating and direct access to a wine & beer garden (over an acre!).
In August 2015, the front landmark building was finally completed to host wedding receptions and large scale events. It was renovated specifically to host all-inclusive ceremonies and receptions. It seats up to 280 people, include private dressing rooms, and a private outdoor patio with fireplace. The all cedar building provides the perfect backdrop for over 100 weddings throughout the year.
In 2018, a private room was added to the Taproom building called the Barrel Room. It is the perfect size for rehearsal dinners, showers, birthday parties, memorials, and the like. Fenton Winery & Brewery hosts over 100 large scale events annually as well as hundreds of smaller, intimate gatherings in the Taproom. Hosting the community is a source of pride and satisfaction for the team which propels their passion to innovate and grow.
And so in 2022, Dream Machine Distillery was launched. Two years of planning, testing, and build out resulted in the addition of small batch spirits at Fenton Winery & Brewery. Like the winery and brewery equipment, the distillery can be seen by all guests who visit the brand new cocktail bar adorned by an impressive 12 foot high pergola within the Taproom. The state of the art iStill made in Sweden produces an array of high quality spirits under the direction of the FWB team. Current offerings include vodka, rum, gin, agave spirit (aka tequila if produced in Mexico), orange liquor, and Michigan cherry liquor. Barrel aged spirits including brandy, dark rum, whiskey, and bourbon will be released as they become ready. Great products take not only quality ingredients, but also time and patience, well respected attributes of Fenton Winery & Brewery.
Now 15 years in business, the Fenton Winery & Brewery continues to innovate in products and offerings in a dynamic hospitality industry. The ownership and team are passionate, they always do what it takes, and they most importantly have each others back at all times.
