Long Shadows Cast In Walla Walla, Washington

- February 16, 2006 - Long Shadows Vintners announced today it has broken ground on a new, $4.2 million dollar state-of-the-art winery in Walla Walla designed to accommodate the exacting standards and varied winemaking practices of Long Shadows'  international winemakers.   The 30,000 sq. ft. small-lot production winery on a 40-acre site on Ireland Road, three miles northwest of the Walla Walla city limits off Hwy. 12, is expected to be complete by this fall.  The new winery will allow resident winemaker Gilles Nicault to work along side each of Long Shadows' winemakers to sort, crush, and ferment wines according to each winemakers' preferred methods which are as varied as the wines and vintners themselves.

Long Shadows was founded in 2003 by Washington wine visionary Allen Shoup, president and CEO at Chateau Ste. Michelle from 1984 - 2000.  Long Shadows brings a cadre of celebrated winemakers from the finest wine regions around the globe to Washington State.  Each vintner leads a showcase winery dedicated to making a single, world-class wine.  

In July 2004, Long Shadows debuted with the release of Armin Diel's (Schlossgut Diel, Nahe Germany) 2003 Poet's Leap Riesling.  Four of Long Shadows' five red wines have been introduced since last fall:  the 2003 Sequel Syrah from John Duval (formerly Penfolds Grange, South Australia); 2003 Pirouette, a blended red wine from Agustin Huneeus (Quintessa, Napa Valley) and Philippe Melka (consultant to Vineyard 29, Hundred Acre and others; Napa

Valley); 2003 Pedestal Merlot by Michel Rolland (international consultant and owner Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol); and 2002 Chester-Kidder red wine from Nicault and Shoup.  Long Shadows first Cabernet Sauvignon will debut this coming April with the release of Randy Dunn's (Dunn Vineyards, Napa Valley) 2003 Feather.          

"Each vintner comes with a unique approach to winemaking," says Nicault.  "Our new winery will house an incredible array of equipment that will allow us to take advantage of each winemaker's preferred style."  A partial list of specialized equipment includes a unique cluster-press for Riesling; a state-of-the-art basket press for reds; double-sorting tables; numerous types of fermentation tanks including wood tanks (preferred by Melka and Rolland) as well as multiple small stainless tanks to allow cold soak maceration; extended fermentation; and numerous cap management techniques during fermentation. 

The building is buried in the site's hillside to take advantage of natural insulation and conserve energy.   The new winery will also feature a glass-enclosed private event room, catering kitchen and a 4,000 sq. ft. veranda with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains. 

Over time, each wine will have its own dedicated facility.  As Shoup explains, "Each winery's case production is extremely limited, but as production slowly grows we plan to build a new, stand-alone facility for each wine."  Long Shadows is also in the process of reviewing sites for varietal-specific vineyard plantings that would make ideal locations for the individual wineries.