I pulled into Harbinger Winery in Port Angeles, WA after a morning of cider deliveries for Finnriver. Immediately, I was struck by the tasting room atmosphere, which reminded me of a cool rec room. Mismatched seating, a kayak, paintings, and random esoterica? Check. And how many wineries have you been to in a converted logging truck shop?

I sat down at the bar with three affable customers and was taken care of by Dave, who had a wry sense of humor and kept us all entertained. (Many stories about Twilight fans stopping by on their way to/from Forks.) Running through the lineup, I was impressed by a wine that was probably the most unusual blend I have come across: Lemberger rosé, barrel-fermented Chardonnay, and cranberry wine. Meet Cranberry Bliss:

This wine is the embodiment of what I admire about Washington wine; the kind of WTF spirit to put together an eccentric blend. The wine itself is sweet-tart. Actually more towards the tart side, where the naturally puckering cranberry does its best to mask the sugar. (It’s actually a lot dryer than I expected.) With my penchant for hyper-acidic wines, I could have taken a little more tartness. And I regret not having a turkey sandwich or some cold fried chicken on hand; this is a total poultry wine. Or a nice foil for spicy foods. Maybe even a pulled pork sandwich.

And if wine is not your thing, they also have beer. (YES!) Check out Barhop Brewing; the taps are right next to the bar. At Harbinger, they are well aware of the old adage, “It takes a lot of beer to make wine.”

So next time you’re in Port Angeles, stop by and say hello to Dave. Or Sara, the owner and winemaker, might be pouring you a taste. And if you turn around, I’ll be relaxing on the sofa.

Tags: harbinger winery, lemberger, olympic peninsula, port angeles, rose