During her years studying at Portland State, Jaime became educated in the world of wine through her experience in the restaurant industry. In 2008 she moved to Yakima, and her passion for the wine industry grew. Jaime and her husband Byron became good friends with James and his wife, Colleen, after being introduced by mutual friends. In 2013, Borton and Son’s purchased an orchard with a small vineyard on it in Zillah, and since then Jaime has worked with James to make wine for the Borton family business. Jaime purchased the Wickersham vineyard in 2015 with hopes of producing exceptional Cabernet Savignon and Cabernet Franc. In 2016 Jaime partnered with James to form GFW, LLC and produced their first award winning Chardonnay. Jaime and James planted Chardonnay in 2017 at Wickersham vineyard which will produce it’s first vintage in 2020.
James earned a M.S. in Viticulture and Enology in 2006 through a full teaching assistantship from Washington State University, Tri Cities campus. He started at Silver Lake Winery as Lab and Viticulture Technician and worked his way up to Enologist and Viticulturist. In 2012, James became the Winemaker for Silver Lake’s high-end labels Leone, Glen Fiona, and Roza Hills Vineyards. In 2013 he became head Winemaker for the entire line of Silver Lake wines while maintaining his role as Viticulturist, with 265 acres under his management, which included 6 acres of Chardonnay grapes at Roza Hills Vineyards for Charles Smith. This led to his current position as the Associate Winemaker and Viticulturist for Charles Smith. It was in 2016 that James and Jaime partnered to form GFW, LLC, and produced their first award winning wine, Vinocluster Chardonnay – a label from a small cooperative called “The Clusters.” that James and a handful of family and friends started in 2011.
