Picture taken by Richard Duval on September 11th with John Duval (Sequel), Kent Waliser (Sagemoor Farms), and I at Bacchus Vineyard

Winemaker Insider Newsletter
                                                  
By Gilles Nicault
 Director of Winemaking and Viticulture
Long Shadows Vintners
2017 Crush has officially started

I am excited to share with you some of the highlights of the 2017 growing season. As a winemaker, we have one shot a year at making a great wine; like an artist with only one canvas. It is an exhilarating time yet very humbling moment to create a unique wine by transforming the grapes we cared for in the vineyard.
     
The beginning of this growing season was the end of the warm weather trend we had the last few years. 2014, 2015, and 2016 were three very warm vintages with 2015 showing unprecedented heat unit accumulation. 2017 was initially slow to get started.  In fact, we were even cooler than 2011 for some time, which triggered a late bud break. Some heat in early July helped slow down the vegetation's growth at the right time to develop a well balanced canopy. The heat also stressed berry development, leading to smaller berries and loose clusters, favorable for high quality wine. In 2017, we had high temperatures in early and late August prolonging into September, which is abnormally hot this late in the year.  
 
 Even with the 2017's impressive come back, harvest did start on September 6th, unlike 2015 and 2016 when the first day of harvest was August 24th.
    
This year has the potential to be a great vintage with some good brightness of the fruit, deep color intensity, and a rich mouthfeel with great balance.   
 
  Red Heaven Syrah on the Red Mountain allocated to Sequel  
   
Vineyard visits 
 
Most everyone knows the saying that "it takes a lot of beer to make great wines" but the reality is, quality does start in the vineyard. It is the foundation of all wines; a well-managed vineyard in the right site will have the best chance of yielding world-class wine.

As a winemaker with a focus on creating distinctive wines, the right match with the site and the grower is crucial. Working closely with the growers is key to establishing a tight relationship with a good understanding of each other's philosophy and expectations. Securing an acreage contract will ensure continuity to the style and quality of the wines.

 I find it necessary to monitor the vineyards on a regular basis to ensure a quality crop but also to familiarize myself with the vintage and get "acquainted" with the grapes prior to pick day.

Tedd Wildman
Vineyard sampling with StoneTree owner Tedd Wildman on August 31st 
 
HAPPENINGS 
  • I have the incredible opportunity to work closely with one of the Washington wine industry's pioneer, Allen Shoup. I am sure you will love this podcast interview conducted by wine critic Sean Sullivan of the Wine Enthusiast with Allen.  Listen 
  • Wine critic Steve Tanzer of Vinous and I spoke about Long Shadows. This will inevitably bring back some buoyantly French accent that is missing from the newsletters. Listen 
  • NineHats Tasting Room: We have opened a new tasting room for our Nine Hats wines in SODO, south of Seattle. It is a beautiful space with traditional pizzas baked on site to enjoy with our different bottlings. There are also many other wineries like the new DenHoed tasting room and even a brewery nearby. This location is becoming a destination on its own. I will be attending the Grand Opening the evening of September 23rd between 6-9 pm. I hope to see you there but if not, please check it out when you have the chance. The Long Shadows tasting room in Woodinville will now be showcasing our core wines.
  • Côté Nicault: The 2013 was a great vintage overall and it is very rewarding to hear such great feedback from so many of you - thank you! Since the first year, I have selected one restaurant per vintage to represent Côté Nicault. In 2010, RingSide Steak House in Portland was the elected establishment. The following vintages were the Mammoth Lake resort in CA and then Barking Frog in Woodinville. The 2013 vintage will be at LeDiplomate
    in Washington, D.C.
  • Shoup: Allen's own wine is becoming a cult of its own. We just previewed the 2011 at our White Party this summer and received rave reviews from everyone. It is due for release this fall.   

As both wines sell out each year, let me know if you would like to get your hands on some bottles. We would be happy to personalize them for you.
james beard
Marie-Eve with Megan Hartz

Allen receiving his award

Certificate of Appreciation

James Beard
Marie-Eve and I were invited earlier this year as husband and wife winemakers, along with restaurant Marée from Seattle, to attend a dinner at the James Beard House in New York. JamesBeard
Executive Chef Andy Dekle, General Manager Megan Hartz, and owner Rosalind Poll did an amazing job with the wine and food pairings, especially 3000 miles away.
Allen Shoup's Award  
The International Federation of Wine Brotherhood, based in Paris.  FICB 
has awarded the Diploma of Honor (Diplome d'Honneur) to Allen for his lifetime accomplishments in the wine industry. This is a huge honor given in past years to wine celebrities such as Jean Charles Boisset, Gina Gallo, Michel Rolland... Bravo Allen, well deserved!
 
Wine & Food Society
I was selected by the International Wine and Food Society to receive their Americas Certificate of Appreciation for my "insatiable thirst for knowledge of both the art and the science of grape growing and winemaking". 
Thank you very much to my dear friend Jim Hoffman and to Eva Roberts of the Spokane Branch. This award truly means a lot to me.   

My intentions are to share some of the highlights from our exciting industry through this newsletter.
Whether you have a question, are planning a trip to Walla Walla or just want to say "Hi!", I would love to hear from you. I hope to see you all in the near future, a glass of wine in hand.
 
 Santé!
 
 
Link to previous newsletters:
gilles filling glass from tank
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