Long Shadow Vintners Washington State Wine Dinner with Special Guest Winemaker Gilles Nicault

From wine what sudden friendship springs!
John Gay 1685 - 1732
Fables, pt. II [1738], The Squire and His Cur

I have been touting the wines of Washington State for the last few years and after attending the Auction of Washington State wines for the last few years I have had a chance to visit quite a few wineries.  Some of them I have actually visited twice like Alan Schoup's Londshadows Vintners.

This is one of the most exciting projects in all of the wine world and it just so happens that it is here in Washington State.  The school of Chateau Ste. Michelle strikes once again and Allen Shoup is one of the disciples of this institution that has taken wine in the state of Washington to another level.  He came up with the genius idea of inviting some of the wine worlds' top winemaking minds to come to Washington State, see the potential of the vineyards here and then try to raise the bar with one of the varietals that they specialize in.  This showcases the superior quality of the fruit in Washington State and also raises the bar by gaining perspective from an expert on each particular varietal.

It's like getting an expert’s opinion for each varietal and Longshadows now has some of the top minds in the wine business giving them advice, for a small piece of the pie of course.  This gives each winemaker a vetted interest in the success not only of this project but of Washington state wines as well.

Gilles Nicault the winemaker that deals with all the other superstar winemakers is an all-star in the world of winemakers also and we are excited to have the glue that holds all these other winemakers together with be here to guide us through a tasting of the new releases from this unique wine project from Washington State.  We also have some older vintages of a few of these on the shelf at Wine Watch so we can see just how well these wines age as well.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. 

Long Shadow Vintners Washington State Wine Dinner

with Special Guest Winemaker Gilles Nicault

Thursday, January 22, 2026

7:30 PM

2024 Dolan and Weiss Cellars 'Julia's Dazzle' Rose Horse Heaven Hills

2024 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling Columbia Valley

2023 Long Shadows 'Cymbal' Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley

2023 Long Shadows Dance Chardonnay, Columbia Valley

2020 Long Shadows Saggi, Columbia Valley

2020 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah, Columbia Vallley

2020 Long Shadows 'Pirouette' Columbia Valley

2009 Long Shadows 'Pirouette' Columbia Valley

2020 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

2013 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

2021 Long Shadows Cabernet Sauvignon Feather Columbia Valley

2020 Long Shadows Chester Kidder Red Columbia Valley

2012 Long Shadows Chester Kidder Red Columbia Valley

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Melon and Fig Salas with Prosciutto, Avocado  Fries, Walnuts and Aged Balsamic

Scallop Carpaccio with Candied Citrus and Lavender Aioli

Beef Shortrib Wellington with Wild Mushroom Red Wine Sauce

Double Chocolate Chip Bourbon Pecan Pie

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any food allergies or aversions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.

A bit about the Longshadows Project:

Allen took inspiration for Long Shadows from his good friend and mentor Robert Mondavi, whose Opus One collaboration with Baron Philippe de Rothschild furthered the prestige of Napa Valley. Inspired by the idea of international partnerships and fortunate to enjoy industry friendships spanning the globe, Allen envisioned a more complex alliance to highlight the quality and diversity of Washington vineyards. He easily recruited a dream team of winemakers. The talent pool was deep, but the winemakers were all new to Washington vineyards. To succeed, Allen knew he needed boots on the ground, someone who enjoyed strong working relationships with the Columbia Valley's best growers and was excited by the challenge of working with a divergent group of winemakers.

Gilles joined Long Shadows shortly before the start of his tenth vintage in Washington, just as Long Shadows' first celebrated vintners were signing on to the project. An international winemaker in his own right, Gilles grew up in southern France, studied viticulture and enology there, 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 vintners.

With Gilles at the helm, Long Shadows began crafting wines inspired by iconic winemakers, each of global prominence and famous for their mastery of a particular variety and style:

Randy Dunn, Dunn Vineyard, Napa Valley (Feather Cabernet Sauvignon)

Agustin Huneeus Sr. and Philippe Melka, Quintessa, Napa Valley (Pirouette)

John Duval, Penfolds, Barossa Valley (Sequel Syrah)

Michel Rolland, Chateau Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol (Pedestal Merlot)

Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, Tenute Folonari, Tuscany (Saggi)

Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel, Nahe Valley (Poet’s Leap Riesling)

Gilles own wine, Chester-Kidder, was the first Long Shadows red produced in 2002.

The winemakers joined Long Shadows as co-owners of their wine, not as consultants. In so doing, Allen reasoned, each partner would be vested in learning more about Washington State's vineyards, and Long Shadows' wines would exemplify the viticultural excellence of the Columbia Valley.

Long Shadows' celebrated vintners traveled to Washington State frequently in the early years, collaborating with Gilles on vineyard preferences, picking and fermentation protocol, barrel selections, and final blending. When construction started on Long Shadows' state-of-the-art Walla Walla winery in 2005, Gilles knew what was needed to design and outfit the new facility to each vintner's exacting specifications. As the years passed, and the wines continued to show remarkable consistency under Gilles direction, the partners' visits to the Columbia Valley naturally became less frequent.

In any company the quality of its products begins and ends with the employees who produce them. At Long Shadows, I've had the good fortune to be able to surround myself with highly dedicated, conscientious and talented people whose exacting efforts have led to the success of our award winning wines. I can't thank them enough for all that they do.

— Allen Shoup, Founder

Today, Long Shadows' original team of celebrated vintners is no longer directly involved in production, but the signature style of each winemaker can be tasted in each glass of Long Shadows wine. Gilles sees to that, as he always has, by skillfully maintaining their long-standing methods and techniques.

Recruiting winemakers from around the world, each to produce a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type,” was only half of the plan. Allen knew each winemaker would come with their own winemaking techniques and requirements, so a world-class winery was designed and built, capable of making wine to each winemaker’s rigorous specifications. The results were almost immediate. Acclaim for the wines and for the project followed, and in 2007, just four short years from its inception, Food & Wine Magazine named Long Shadows “Winery of the Year.” Since then Long Shadows has continued to produce highly-sought-after and highly-acclaimed examples of the best Washington can produce.

Over the years, Gilles and Allen experimented with small quantities of uniquely styled wines for their personal and family enjoyment. A few of these wines became too good not to share with their “extended family” and now are available with Long Shadows' other current releases. They include Dance Chardonnay, Cymbal Sauvignon Blanc, and Julia’s Dazzle Rosé, named after Allen’s granddaughter.