Yakima-native and screen star Kyle MacLachlan is best known for his film and television roles in cult classics such as Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks. He is also well known in wine circles around the state for his Pursued by Bear wines, which he established 18 years ago. Celebrity status aside, the wines here are on a par far above the norm.
“I grew up in Eastern Washington, not far from the vineyards where my grapes are grown today,” Kyle says. “My dad and I began exploring Washington wines in the late 1980s on my trips home to Yakima. I quickly developed an appreciation for Washington wines and the people who made them, and I knew I wanted to be part of this community when I made my first wine in 2005.”
Kyle recruited vintner Daniel Wampfler, who has been making Pursued by Bear wines since 2008, first at Dunham Cellars and continuing his work with Kyle after moving to Abeja Winery in 2016.
This is no vanity project, evident by the quality and care that went into the seriously-focused wines we reviewed. Kyle is involved in all aspects of vineyard selection and winemaking, even down to the details of tasting room and label design. He is a frequent visitor to the Columbia Valley AVA and travels to the Walla Walla Valley throughout the year to taste and blend wines with Daniel.
The winery’s name is a playful nod to MacLachlan’s theatrical career, borrowed from one of Shakespeare’s most famous stage directions in Act III, Scene 3 of The Winter’s Tale, “Exit, pursued by a bear.” The winery enjoys a loyal following for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Rosé.
“Walla Walla has been my home base from the start, so when it came time to open a tasting room, this was the place it had to be,” Kyle tells Washington Tasting Room Magazine. It’s an old-time Northwest mercantile with handsome dark-wood interior. Think Mission furniture and Italian wallpaper, antiques and cork floors, Carrera marble countertops and leather seats, Parisian café curtains and the Orpheum’s velvet drapes with a large bronze bear that invites visitors to pose for a picture.
Tastings were offered by appointment only at presstime (see the reservation link on their website). The tasting room is located at 43 S Palouse, Walla Walla, WA. Learn more at www.pursuedbybearwine.com.
Below are three releases we recently reviewed:
Pursued by Bear 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
96 pts.
Elegant and pure yet densely concentrated, built with a finely-etched structure matching the modestly-weighted, burnished tannins rippling with blackberry and blueberry fruit. Savory layers of French roast coffee, herbs de Provence, plum and cherry details cascade effortlessly through the highly expressive finish. $70
Pursued by Bear 2019 Baby Bear Syrah
94 pts.
Aged 34 months in French oak puncheons this red is lush and savory, with a profile of blackberry, boysenberry and huckleberry fruit matched by saline-accented olive, integrated barrel spice, gravel and a hint of smoke. A thread of fine acidity adds uplift to the energetic finish. $60
Pursued by Bear 2022 Blushing Bear Rosé
91 pts.
This mouthwatering blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre was inspired by the Rosés found in the Bandol region of France, exhibiting bright aromas of pear, grapefruit, citrus and hay. Plush flavors of white raspberry, crisp green apple and wet stone are met with piercing acidity and inflections of dried herbs. $28