Name the first good wine you ever drank and where you had it. “One of the most memorable was a bottle of Château Lynch‑Bages, which was given to me as a gift by David Lynch following my screen test for the movie Dune. I wish David and I had shared it together, but we more than made up for it over the years consuming many bottles of Lynch-Bages together!”
What book on wine is your go-to resource? “Educating Peter by Lettie Teague. I love her column for the Wall Street Journal. Her style is approachable, informative, slightly prickly and a touch self-deprecating, which I find very appealing.”
What’s your favorite wine-and-food pairing? “I would say a great burger and a Washington State Cabernet, like…Pursued by Bear!”
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Name the wine region that took you the longest to truly understand. “Burgundy and I’m still confused.”
What do you always have in your home bar? “I’m really bad when it comes to keeping a bar. Mostly because I rarely drink spirits. But I do try to keep a good whiskey or two around. Laphroaig for its intense ‘peatiness’ and Glenmorangie because it’s easy to drink. Also, a very nice sipping tequila like Casa Dragones Joven Tequila. Those are my go-tos on the rare occasion I’m not drinking wine.”
What’s the best variety of wine to drink while watching Twin Peaks and eating cherry pie? “The absolutely best wine to drink while watching Twin Peaks and eating cherry pie would be a Washington State Syrah. In my opinion, my Baby Bear Syrah fits the bill nicely with its flavorful notes of cherry cola, chocolate and espresso.”
Red or white? “I like them both, but push comes to shove, I’ll go with red.”
Besides your own wine, what do you like to drink? “I drink a lot of Washington Cabernet. The main reason is because I enjoy it, but I’m also curious to know what other producers are making. Some of my current favorites are Abeja, Doubleback, Dunham, Figgins, Solemn, Avennia…the list goes on…”
What kinds of wine are you currently cellaring? “I have a couple verticals of Chateau Montelena and Opus One from the early ’90s. Curious about those. I also have some 1995 Bordeaux wines that I purchased as ‘futures’ from Sherry-Lehmann a while ago. Those are fun to break out once in a special while.”
After a long day on the set, what’s the perfect drink? “More often than not, it’s a cold beer with some of my castmates! Years ago, when I worked with Patrick Stewart in Thailand, we’d always enjoy a Singha after shooting all day in the jungle!”
How does your experience as an actor inform the way you run your wine company Pursued by Bear? “The most important thing I’ve learned running a wine business is to surround yourself with smart experienced people, starting with my winemaker Dan Wampfler. The same holds true for working on a film or a television show. Try to work with the smartest and most fun people. If you’re going to be around each other for a while, it makes everything run a lot smoother!”
Interview has been condensed and edited.
