This interview is with Nichole Schulte of Quady North/Barrel 42. In this interview, Nichole talks about her background studying law and working in insurance, and her current journey working in wine.

Nichole talks about growing up in Florida and starting to work in insurance. After managing a call center, she became an adjuster, following storms across the country to help those affected settle insurance claims in the aftermath. At the suggestion of a colleague, she went to law school and spent a semester studying wine law abroad in Lyon, France.

Nichole discusses moving to Grants Pass with her husband and starting to visit local wineries to get to know the community. In 2012, she worked a harvest internship at Troon, where she met Herb Quady. Shortly after that first internship, she and Herb joined Brian Gruber to start Barrel 42 as a custom crush facility. Together, they took the business from an old pear packing plant to the onsite winery they have today.

Later in the interview, Nichole talks about how she keeps Barrel 42 organized, depending on a capable crew and scheduling everything on a whiteboard in order to maximize resources. She also talks about the effects of climate change and immigration policy on the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Quady North/Barrel 42 in Jacksonville on March 17, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!