Emile Ninaud

Champion Wine Cellars

Emile at The Herbfarm in August 2014 next to photo of young Emile, same pose

Emile was born in Shanghai, China, before World War II. His grandmother and an aunt moved from Shanghai to San Francisco. After WWII, Emile's immediate family left Shanghai and ended up in Vietnam where his father was with the French police. Inspector Ninaud died in an ambush when Emile was 12. He, his mother, brother, and sister were repatriated to France (Paris and Nice) where Emile finished school. His grandmother suggested he come to the US for college when he was 19. He attended the University of San Francisco, then transferred to the University of Washington.

While at the UW, he paid for school by working part-time jobs at restaurants like the original El Gaucho, and for Walter Clark of Clark's Restaurants (there were 22 at one time, including The Red Carpet, Windjammer, and Dublin House).

Having been exposed to wine in France through cousins who were grape growers and winemakers, and working on the Riviera in Saint-Paul-de-Vence at La Colombe d'Or where celebrities dined, then in California while in school, Emile wondered at the fact that there were beautiful restaurants in Seattle with one or two wines on their menu. There was nothing available, plus people were very into cocktails at the time.

When he graduated from the UW, he needed a job. He'd had an idea germinating in his mind about wine. At about that time, the liquor laws changed in Washington when the California Wine Law was passed, allowing individuals to open private wine shops. He and six partners opened Champion Wine Cellars at 3 ^rd and Marion in October 1969. They were pioneers: there wasn't much product to find and sell, and people were not "wine conscious." It wasn't lucrative enough for seven partners. Over time, he bought out his partners. Emile organized and promoted wine tastings and opened a local chapter of a national wine club, Les Amis du Vin.

Needing to branch out, he and a French chef joined forces and opened Le Tastevin on lower Queen Anne in 1976. They had it until 1993. It was a wine-oriented restaurant and won Wine Spectator's Grand Award for seven straight years. Originally, it was located on a corner of the property that the Uptown Theatres is now on. When the theatre wanted to expand, they had to move, and found the 19 West Harrison space. It seated 250 and was a huge success being so near the Seattle Center and having great food and wine. The property was purchased from Martin Selig, a good customer of theirs. The architectural firm of Roland Terry and Bob Egan were also good customers, and they were known for Canlis and some of the Clark's restaurants. This firm did the architectural changes and interior design for the new Le Tastevin restaurant. Emile married Stephanie, another wine lover in the industry, in 1988. She has helped run Champion since 1986.

Champion Wine Cellars offers wine from around the world, special orders wine as requested, and focuses on providing excellent service and education to its customers. It celebrated its 45^th anniversary in October 2014.

www.championwinecellars.com

January 2015