Celebrating 20 Years
Long Shadows Vintners will celebrate 20 years of winemaking in Washington in 2023 with a new Woodinville tasting room, retrospective tastings throughout the year, and a summer party for its wine club members.
The celebration will get underway this spring with Long Shadows' new tasting room opening in Woodinville's Old Redhook Brewery location. The upscale new facility will have a modern, industrial vibe with an outdoor patio, a second-floor deck with heat lamps and firepits, and private rooms for wine club members. "Woodinville is the epicenter of Western Washington wine tasting. With the opening of our new facility, we will be able to offer guests an enhanced tasting experience in a relaxed setting that showcases our wines and builds community," says Long Shadows president and CEO Dane Narbaitz.
Long Shadows founder and Washington wine visionary Allen Shoup, who ran Chateau Ste. Michelle and its affiliate wineries from 1980-2000, took inspiration for Long Shadows from his friend and colleague Robert Mondavi, whose Opus One collaboration with the Rothschild family furthered the prestige of Napa Valley wines. “From his early days at Ste. Michelle, Allen recognized the potential of the Columbia Valley's growing region and made it his life's work to bring that story to international prominence," said Narbaitz. "We are proud of Long Shadows' role over the last 20 years in making Allen's dream a reality."
Long Shadows allowed Shoup to further his ambition to grow the global reputation of Washington wine and also create a family-run winery of his own. Narbaitz, Shoup's stepson, joined the winery in 2005, bringing his extensive background in luxury wine brands to Long Shadows. He took the reigns as president of the company in 2008. Two years later, his wife, Sara Narbaitz, brought her marketing and communications expertise to the winery, serving as director of communications, a position she currently holds. Ryan Shoup, Allen's son, joined Long Shadows shortly after graduating from college in 2011. He currently serves as Long Shadows' director of retail sales.
As part of Long Shadows' 20-year celebration, the winery will reflect on some of Shoup's most visionary concepts, such as his prediction that the U.S. would enjoy a "Riesling Renaissance." Long Shadows' Poet's Leap, an off-dry Riesling, was the winery's first release and an immediate success. It is also one of three Long Shadows wines that have been served at the White House.
EVENTS
Join us at one of our many events celebrating 20 years of exceptional winemaking.
Check out our FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS and be sure to reach out for help with trip planning or if you have any questions.
Above photos updated March 22, 2023
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NEW WOODINVILLE TASTING ROOM
Our new Woodinville tasting room is set to open mid-spring 2023. We are so excited to be able to treat our guests to world class wines and a unique, sustainable, and fun place to experience our wines.
You can keep track of the progress on our social media and via our email newsletter. Not following us? Not a subscriber?
GILLES NICAULT - DIRECTOR, WINEMAKING & VITICULTURE
HERE FROM THE BEGINNING!
Gilles Nicault has served as director of winemaking and viticulture since Long Shadows' first vintage in 2003. He joined Long Shadows shortly before the start of his tenth vintage in Washington, just as Long Shadows' first distinguished vintners were signing on to the project.
An international winemaker in his own right, Gilles grew up in southern France, studied viticulture and enology, and made wine in Côte du Rhône, Provence, and Champagne. Already a winemaker of rising fame in his homeland, he traveled to Washington State in 1994 to expand his winemaking skills, working for several top Washington wineries, including Woodward Canyon. By the time Long Shadows was established, Gilles knew Washington vineyards well. He sought the position at Long Shadows, eager to merge his winemaking skills with a remarkable group of all-star vintners from around the globe.
From the beginning, Gilles collaborated with Long Shadows' celebrated winemakers to ensure their unique vision was realized in the vineyard and cellar. While many winemakers would find this a daunting task, French-born Nicault describes the position as his "dream job." Those who know Gilles best say his knowledge of Columbia Valley vineyards and winemaking skills, combined with an insatiable curiosity and desire to learn something new every day, made him uniquely qualified for the position.
Each Long Shadows wine reflects the variety and style of the iconic winemaker who inspired it. Today, the original vintners are no longer directly involved in Long Shadows. Still, Gilles sees to it that Long Shadows' winemaking methods and techniques remain true to the signature style of each winemaker.
In addition to working with Long Shadows growers and managing daily operations at the winery, Gilles also makes Côté Nicault, his GSM blend launched with the support of Long Shadows to honor his Old World heritage and New World winemaking.
In 2016, Seattle magazine named him Washington State's Winemaker of the Year.