Gil Nickel
| Gil Nickel | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Harold Gilliland Nickel 1939 Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma |
| Died |
October 30, 2003 Oakville, Napa County, California |
| Cause of death | cancer |
| Education |
Oklahoma State University University of California at Davis |
| Occupation | Vintner |
| Spouse(s) | Beth Nickel |
| Children | Jeremy Nickel |
Gil Nickel (1939-2003) was an American vintner. He was the owner of the historic Far Niente Winery in the Napa Valley. He also established the Dolce Winery and the Nickel & Nickel Winery.
Early life
Harold Gilliland Nickel was born in 1939 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.[1][2][3] He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1961, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Mathematics.[1][2][3] He then served in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, serving one tour of duty the Vietnam War.[1][2][3]
Career
He started his career by working as a missile analyst for the United States Navy Laboratory in Corona, California.[1][2][3] He then moved back to his home state of Oklahoma, where he worked at Greenleaf Nursery, a nursery owned by his family based in Tahlequah.[1][3] He worked alongside his father and brother.[2]
In 1976, he moved back to California, where he audited classes in oenology at the University of California at Davis.[1][2] He also studied oenology in France.[2] A decade later, in the 1980s, he purchased the historic Far Niente Winery in Oakville, and restored the caves.[2][3] They are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
In 1992, he started the Dolce Winery, which produced white wine.[1][2][3] With his son, he started Nickel & Nickel Winery in 2000.[1][2][3] The business produced wines from the same vineyard as opposed to blends.[1]
Personal life
He was married to Beth Nickel.[1] They had a son, Jeremy Nickel.[1][2]
Death
He died of cancer on October 30, 2003 in Oakville, California.[1]
Legacy
- In 2011, his son Jeremy sued the other owners of the Far Niente Winery for alleged misconduct.[4]
- The Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award given by the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation at the University of California, Los Angeles is named in his honor.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Frank J. Prial, Gil Nickel, 64, Wine Enthusiast Who Became a Leading Vintner, The New York Times, November 01, 2003
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dennis McLellan, Gil Nickel, 64; Made Far Niente Winery One of Napa's Best Known, The Los Angeles Times, November 01, 2003
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 James Laube, Owner of Far Niente, Gil Nickel, Succumbs To Cancer, Wine Spectator, October 30, 2003
- ↑ Jesse Duarte, Nickel winery heir files lawsuit against boardmembers, St. Helena Star, January 05, 2011
- ↑ UCLA Jonsson Cancer Research Foundation: The Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award