Kyle MacLachlan is not your typical vintner—though in the ever-expanding world of celebrity wine ventures, the line between passion project and marketing ploy has grown increasingly blurry. MacLachlan, however, falls squarely into the former camp. And after 20 years of building Pursued by Bear he’s earned his place not just as an actor of cult status, but as a vintner of quietly serious intent.
Perhaps best known for his roles in Twin Peaks, Portlandia, and Dune, MacLachlan has spent the last two decades cultivating something far from Hollywood: a restrained but resolute wine project rooted in his home state of Washington.
Raised in Yakima, MacLachlan grew up with apple and pear trees and a lush vegetable garden in his backyard. The eldest of three boys, he was digging in the dirt long before he ever stepped foot in a vineyard, something he now sees as early training for his love of agriculture and interest in making wine. After studying drama at the University of Washington in Seattle, he left for Hollywood—but Washington, evidently, never left him.
In 2005, with the help of the late Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars MacLachlan released his first wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa’s Ann Colgin—an industry legend and a longtime friend — was an early mentor. “It was kind of fun, not too serious, just an adventure. My very first tasting/blending we sat around the room with all these glasses and I basically drank everything and by the time we were done I couldn’t remember anything about the first wine we tasted. After that I learned that you need to taste and spit!”
“It was in 2008, I thought, this is becoming something”. It was also the year he launched Baby Bear Syrah, a rich, structured wine named for his newborn son, and the first indication that Pursued by Bear would become more than a vanity project. A rosé followed in 2015, Blushing Bear Rosé, of which the question was asked, “Does a bear blush, I mean, does anyone ever know?”
If the wines sound playful, that’s by design. The name Pursued by Bear is a reference to the famously peculiar stage direction in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale where at the end the actor is chased off stage by the bear. A moment that left everyone wondering what just happened here? “That’s the vibe I was looking for for the winery. The presentation is fun but the wine is serious.”
As for the wines themselves, they’ve matured with their maker. After moving production to Abeja Winery in 2016—following Wampfler and his wife, winemaker Amy Alvarez-Wampfler, in 2022 he produced the first white wine in his lineup, a Chardonnay from Bacchus Vineyard. Subsequently the 2023 and soon to be released 2024 vintage are sourced from Dick Boushey’s revered Golden View Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. “To complete the circle,” he says.
The wine is vibrant, lush and fruit-driven which comes from seeing only stainless and neutral barrels —a refreshing deviation from the buttery monotony often found in Chardonnays. Total production for the winery remains modest, though MacLachlan hints at a slow build beyond the 5,000 case annual mark.
Of course, the actor is more than a distant figurehead. He attends release parties. He shows up to wine events. And he’s an enthusiastic presence at his Walla Walla tasting room. For those expecting a quick photo op and celebrity swagger, MacLachlan offers a more earnest encounter.
Now, with the 20th vintage of Pursued by Bear, MacLachlan is stepping into a new kind of spotlight. He’s the honorary chair for the Auction of Washington Wines, the state’s largest and most charitable wine event—a fitting role for a man who understands the art of both performance and presence. “It’s like an awards show,” he says. “All your friends and colleagues in one place.”
When asked to name his favorite Washington wineries, his choices are unsurprisingly solid: Avennia, Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will, Abeja and Time & Direction—a nod, perhaps, to his appreciation for both tradition and innovation.
MacLachlan is quick to assert his loyalty to Washington wine. “I have no plans to make wine outside the state,” he says. And his next project? A heartfelt tribute wine called Bear Deux, releasing this fall. It’s a remembrance blend for his late friend, director David Lynch. “Wine was such a big part of our friendship,” he says. The label will honor that connection—poignant, personal, and, like all his wines, more serious than it first appears.
So, is Pursued by Bear a theatrical pursuit? Certainly. But it’s also deeply grounded—rooted in place, memory, and the unmistakable pleasure of a well-made glass. And if you’re lucky, you might catch MacLachlan himself pouring it—no stage necessary.
