Pursued by Bear
Actor Kyle Maclachlan (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, The Doors, and many other films) is a native of Washington State's Columbia Valley winegrowing region. Washington State wine has brought Kyle back home to the Pacific Northwest to craft small lots of limited production red wines and a rosé that speak to the promise of this special terroir. Not with nostalgia, but with a new story to tell… a story of uncompromising quality and unlimited possibility.
Kyle felt connected to nature from his earliest memories, growing up among his father’s expansive gardens and the gnarled old fruit trees of Yakima, Washington. His interest in wine began in the mid-1980's after moving to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. Frequently returning to Yakima to visit his father and his home, he began to explore the burgeoning Washington wine scene. Later, inspired by friends in Napa Valley, the notion of making his own Washington wine took hold. Kyle set out to create Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah that expressed the local terroir - an alluring mix of Old World elegance and New World grandeur. It wasn't long before a chance meeting with Walla Walla winemaker Eric Dunham led to a simple handshake that launched Pursued by Bear in 2005. In 2008, Eric passed the winemaking baton to veteran winemaker Daniel Wampfler, who continues to craft Pursued by Bear wines with the same passion and care that Eric inspired.
| Website | www.pursuedbybearwine.com/ |
|---|---|
| Wine Maker | Daniel Wampfler |
| Country | America |
| Region | Washington |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
From this Winery
Inspired by the classic Bandol roses of southern France, the 2021 Blushing Bear is a delicate, pale pink wine redolent of summer. Fresh and aromatic, flavorful sun-kissed wild strawberries, juicy white peach, succulent guava, and a hint of orange peel burst from the glass. A wine of impeccable balance with playful flavors that give way to a serious, textured mouthfeel and a long, lively fmish. Cue the sunglasses!
From a vintage marked by excellent natural acidity, concentration, and flavor, the 2019 Bear Cub is a fresh, youthful wine bursting with ripe, sun-kissed summer berries and a hint of baking spice. Richly textured, layers of dark cherry, juicy boysenberry, and roasted coffee dance across a balanced mid-palate. Lively and easy drinking but with enough structure to prove this little fella can go the distance. Dark, high-toned fruit from the Walla Walla Valley is the predominant source for this Cab-driven blend. Grapes sourced from the Wahluke Slope and Yakima Valley add layered complexity. A small amount of Horse Heaven Hills Syrah, aged in 600L Taransaud puncheons, adds richness and depth to the mid-palate. Aged 20 months in 100% French oak.
From an outstanding vintage marked by a long, slow ripening season, the 2018 Baby Bear Syrah is a handsome, intensely colored wine loaded with wild blackberry, fresh blueberry, and dark, spicy aromas and flavors. A streak of olive tapenade, smoked charcuterie, and freshly cracked black pepper add interest across a textured palate laced with silky tannins and vibrant acidity. The finish is long and refined.
Handpicked grapes were de-stemmed and then traveled through an optical sorter to ensure only the best fruit was moved to stainless steel tanks for primary fermentation. After that, the wine was transferred to new, Taransaud puncheons (600L) and matured slowly to integrate the fruit and oak fully, further developing the wine’s refined, complex flavors and a lush mouthfeel.
Pursued by Bear Cabernet Sauvignon has always been about quality. The 2017 is no exception. Layers of complex, deep red fruits with exceptional concentration combine with flavors of dark chocolate and hints of mint and vanilla. A luscious mouthfeel enhanced by supple, integrated tannins, developed in the 100% new Taransaud French oak barrels, harmonize elegantly with the exceptional fruit sourced from the best vineyards in Washington’s Columbia Valley.
The roster of vineyards contributing to this release is a who’s who of Washington’s finest growers. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot sourced from the renowned Champoux Vineyard was blended with the same varieties from the extraordinary Dubrul, Dionysus and Weinbau Vineyards to create a wine of amazing concentration with great aging potential.
The 2018 Pursued by Bear Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from a near-perfect vintage. A warm growing season gave way to a long, drawn-out harvest allowing the grapes plenty of time to mature fully and resulting in wines that reveal balanced tannins and bright acidity.
Subtle aromas of dusty mocha and violet introduce classic flavors of black currant, blueberry, and black plum. The flavors surround soft, fine-grained tannins, a result of aging in new Taransaud barrels. Remarkably silky, elegant, and downright seductive, this wine is a classic expression of the best in Washington Cab.