2022 Pursued By Bear Bear Cub Columbia Valley 6pk 6x750ml

Pursued by Bear is actor Kyle MacLachlan's Washington collaboration with winemaker Eric Dunham, co-founded in 2005 under Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla. The name comes from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale — the stage direction "Exit, pursued by a bear" — and the label has quietly become one of Washington's top-rated producers. Bear Cub is their approachable entry point, and it punches way above its price.

Columbia Valley is Washington's workhorse region — hot days, cool nights, a continental desert climate that pushes ripeness while holding acidity. The AVA sprawls across the southern half of the state, and the best producers cherry-pick fruit from distinct pockets: Les Collines Vineyard in Walla Walla Valley, Dionysus and Sagemoor in the White Bluffs. Bear Cub is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah and Merlot, plus small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The grapes are whole-berry pressed, gently fermented, then aged 28 months in tight-grain French oak barrels with thick staves — slow integration, no heaviness. The Syrah component ages in 600L Taransaud puncheons, adding richness to the mid-palate.

The 2022 vintage was slightly cooler — the wine is youthful, lively, structured. Aromas of dark cherry, mocha, vanilla, and sandalwood open into a round, generous palate with soft tannins and terrific flavor density. Black cherry and cola, hints of vanilla bean and shaved cocoa, a long juicy finish. It's plush and polished without being heavy — the kind of red blend that makes $20 grocery-store wine taste emotionally vacant.

This is the six-pack format — serious Washington fruit at everyday pricing. Pull the cork tonight or cellar it another decade. It's ready now and built to last.