Fans of Twin Peaks Can Now Hang Out With Kyle MacLachlan At His New Tasting Room
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Yes, there is a bear involved.
Fans of Twin Peaks actor Kyle MacLachlan now have a chance to taste his wines in person at a brand new tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, Washington. For the uninitiated, Pursued by Bear, MacLachlan’s collaboration with winemaker Daniel Wampfler, launched back in 2005, and has since garnered a loyal following for its rosé, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The name references a stage direction in Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” — “exit, pursued by a bear.” (The character Antigonus, it is later revealed, is eaten by said bear. It’s unclear whether the bear has any wine with the meal.)
“There’s only so much I can do online,” MacLachlan explains. “We have a really nice following and presence, but you really need a space where people can come to get a sense of what the wines are about, and what the story’s about.” Keeping the tasting room in downtown Walla Walla was especially significant for the actor, who calls it “the mecca of Washington wine.” Growing up in Yakima, Washington, MacLachlan cites farming as “in his blood,” and wine as an important pastime through which to spend time with his father. “We had the option to go to the west side, where Seattle is, or Woodinville, because a lot of wineries are represented there,” he says.
Courtesy of Pursued by Bear
Ultimately, a former Walla Walla hair salon –– which also had a previous life as a bicycle shop –– would become the perfect space for Pursued By Bear’s inaugural tasting room. At the request of the landlord, the exterior of the 100-year old building remains bright pink, which MacLachlan feels will be especially tempting to visitors come rosé season. Located nearly four and a half hours from Seattle, the tasting room bears (no pun intended!) unmistakably MacLachlan-esque touches, like a mural featuring a misty, lush landscape in the vein of Twin Peaks (commissioned from local artist Brad Rude), as well as a six-foot tall standing bronze sculpture of a bear. “He’s there to greet customers,” MacLachlan says, matter-of-factly.
