Pursued by Bear, "Baby Bear" Syrah - 2021

A healthy dose of skepticism isn't a bad thing when it comes to celebrities and their wine or spirit ventures. After all, one movie star "winemaker" talked about peeling grapes. For Kyle MacLachlan, however, wine is not just some branding opportunity, it is a true passion. The actor, who grew up in Washington State, used to go on wine tastings with his father as a way for them to spend time together. His interest grew, and in 2005 he founded his own label Pursued by Bear (a stage direction from Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale). As with any other wine, the proof, as they say, is in the bottle. All three wines are excellent, but I particularly loved the syrah. It is rich and powerful with ripe blackberry, cherry and black pepper, but there's great structure and notable acidity, which keeps the wine lifted and fresh. Pair with roasted lamb.