Bonjour, I am Gilles
Born and raised in France, I was surrounded by incredible traditions. It’s just part of our lives in France. My family has a history in agriculture dating back to my grandfather’s agricultural ventures in Guinea, Africa in the 1930s. I credit my father, who introduced me to wine while growing up in the Rhône Valley. These many family experiences and traditions ultimately shaped my own respect and passion for wine and for my adventurous exploration of new things….while never forgetting my French roots.
When I fell in love with wine, I decided to pursue my winemaking dreams. I trained in Provence/ Côte du Rhône and obtained a four-year degree of Winemaking and Viticulture at the University of Avignon. This area of Southern France is known predominantly for growing and making Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre based wines and often blended into what the world knows as GSM’s.
However, as an explorer and with adventure as an integral part of who I am, America and the “New World” was calling for me. I decided to embark on a new challenge and explore what could come of making wine there. While California was already established and producing world class wines, there was a lot of interesting buzz about a new west coast wine region that was starting to make its mark on the world stage. I decided to come to Washington State and began in the Washington wine industry in 1994 for Woodward Canyon. I soon discovered that Washington State possessed something special and truly was an up and coming wine region that would rival other great wine regions of the world. I continued to work at Woodward Canyon until joining Long Shadows Vintners in 2003, where I am presently the Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. In 2016, I was bestowed the Washington Winemaker of the Year and our wines have been recognized across the world by leading wine experts and writers.
After many successful years of making wine, I wanted to go back to my French roots and create wines that captured my love of southern France and my passion for the wine grapes of the region. In 2010, I crafted the first vintage of Côté Nicault with the goal of producing exclusive and distinctive wines that would rival great wines across the globe. While my production is very limited, I hope that you have the opportunity to experience my Côté.
~ Gilles