18.08.2026 • In the Field

A Winemaker and World-Class Shooter

Gaël Poinsot divides his time between the vineyard and the shooting range. What connects these two worlds is his uncompromising commitment to quality and seizing the right moment.

When the 38-year-old Frenchman talks about shooting, it sometimes sounds as if he’s talking about wine. About patience. About balance. About those subtle, barely visible details that ultimately determine whether something turns out good or extraordinary. In the vineyard, a single wrong cut, an intervention that comes too late, or a sudden change in weather at the wrong time can alter an entire harvest. It’s similar at the shooting range: a bad night’s sleep, a stressful trip there, a moment of lack of concentration. “There can’t be a single grain of sand in the gears,” Gaël Poinsot knows.

This mindset suits a man who bridges two worlds that, at first glance, seem worlds apart: working at the family winery – now in its fourth generation of Poinsot stewardship – and the lightning-fast decisions of a shotgun shooter, who must coordinate trajectory, speed, and instinct within fractions of a second.

His journey began at age 14, thanks to a hunting friend of his father. This man took him along, let him give it a try, recognized his talent and potential, and believed in him. Not just for an afternoon, but for years to come. Perhaps that was the first decisive moment in Gaël Poinsot’s career: that someone believed in him before he himself could prove what he was capable of.

A prophecy comes true
That first attempt turned into a routine. A small shooting range, eight kilometers from home. “It was passion that drove me and kept me spending every weekend at the shooting range,” recalls the winemaker. Since he was too young for a driver’s license, the club president took him along to tryouts and French championships. Later, he drove himself. His father’s friend had predicted early on that he would one day be the best. In 2021, that moment finally arrived: Gaël Poinsot became the world champion in Sporting. It’s one of the fondest memories of his athletic career. Just two years later, he was back among the best shooters, taking second place at the World Championships: “Only George Digweed was ahead of me in the world rankings.”

Shooting is the passion of the 38-year-old, after his job as a winemaker in Champagne.

His competitive drive is as strong as ever. Gaël Poinsot wants to be back among the top contenders on a regular basis. No sooner said than done. At the World Sporting Championship this year, he placed 7th (183/200); at the European Compak Sporting Championship, 6th (197/200); and at the French Compak Sporting Championship, 4th. He’s still missing a major medal in Compak, and in the Parcours discipline, he wants to return to the top step of the podium with Blaser. He knows how difficult that is: “Getting there is hard; staying there is even harder.” The difference between good and excellent shooters? For him: scope, training, professionalism. He measures himself against the best, even though he trains less than many of them.

Reset with the FBX
On his path to the podium, the FBX has been by his side since this year, and he’s been able to achieve excellent results with it in no time at all. That, too, is no given. “It can easily take up to a year to get used to a new shotgun, but I managed it in about two months,” he says, his voice tinged with pride. He describes what impresses him about the shotgun in technical terms, but with genuine appreciation: very responsive, no muzzle rise, cleanly distributed recoil, excellent barrels, and a sensitive trigger. It’s the language of a man who doesn’t view equipment as a status symbol, but as a tool. A good tool can be beautiful, but above all, it has to be just right.

Despite all his competitive drive, Gaël Poinsot doesn’t use grand words. He speaks matter-of-factly, almost like a craftsman. For him, shooting isn’t a profession, but a passion. He has a job as a winemaker in Champagne. That doesn’t diminish the sport, but it keeps it in its proper place. “I have my work, and then I focus on my passion,” says the 38-year-old.

He’s especially pleased that he can pass on his knowledge to his twelve-year-old son, Léopold. Looking back, Gaël Poinsot wishes he’d had someone earlier who could have properly explained how to adjust a sporting shotgun. No dealer, no gunsmith, and no competitor taught him that back then. Today, he sets up his son’s shotgun the way he thinks is best, and is delighted at how quickly the boy is making progress. At this year’s Blaser Cup, he took second place in the junior division

He’s especially pleased that he can pass on his knowledge to his twelve-year-old son, Léopold. Looking back, Gaël Poinsot wishes he’d had someone earlier who could have properly explained how to adjust a sporting shotgun. No dealer, no gunsmith, and no competitor taught him that back then. Today, he sets up his son’s shotgun the way he thinks is best, and is delighted at how quickly the boy is making progress. At this year’s Blaser Cup, he took second place in the junior division – just like his father did in the open class!

Text: Alexandra Berton; Photos: Alexandra Berton, Stephanie Göhrig

In no time at all Gaël Poinsot and his FBX became an excellent team.