When you’re visiting tasting rooms in Woodinville Wine Country this weekend, treat yourself to an experience at Long Shadows Vintners, a winery that has been doing things a little differently for 15 years and garnering plenty of impressive accolades along the way. Long Shadow Vintners is a collection of distinct labels and wines, each created by an internationally acclaimed winemaker. This approach is decidedly different to the traditional model where one person oversees all of the winemaking for a winery.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of the winery that Allen Shoup, former CEO of Chateau Ste Michelle, founded in 2003. Shoup pioneered collaborative winemaking while at Chateau Ste Michelle, resulting in Col Solare and Eroica. Inspired by the success of those two labels, Long Shadows Vintners was born. Shoup brought on Gilles Nicault as the resident winemaker as well as hiring an esteemed group of winemakers from around the world to create ultra-premium wines from Washington State grapes. The different winemakers make seven labels under the Long Shadow title.
These include:
Randy Dunn, a Napa Valley winemaker, who makes Feather;
Armin Diel, of Germany, who makes Poet’s Leap;
Agust Huneeus Sr. and Philippe Melka, who produce wines in California and Chile, and who make Pirouette;
John Duval, an esteemed Australian winemaker, who makes Sequel;
Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, of Tuscany, who make Saggi;
Michel Rolland, one of the world’s most prestigious winemakers, who is from Bordeaux and makes Pedestal.
The pairing of top international winemakers with Columbia Valley’s world class fruit has resulted in outstanding reviews and consistent high scores. And Long Shadows Vintners has the unique honor of having its wines featured at White House dinners four times in the last decade.
When planning a visit to the Woodinville tasting room, known as “The Library,” visitors are encouraged to make reservations and set aside at least 45 minutes to relax in the comfy, leather chairs and enjoy the lineup of exceptional wines being poured.