Harbinger Winery is just one of owner’s adventures

Sara Gagnon can’t quite decide if she is a kayaking winemaker or a winemaking kayaker. Either way, she is enjoying the adventure of life as an entrepreneur.

Gagnon is the owner and winemaker of Harbinger Winery, the northwestern-most winery in the continental United States. Harbinger is just west of Port Angeles, at the top of the Olympic Peninsula.

She is also co-owner with Tammi Hinkle of Adventures Through Kayaking. They lead kayak, mountain bike, raft and paddleboard tours in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on Lake Crescent and on various rivers on the Olympic Peninsula.

Gagnon grew up in Port Angeles and opened one of the first espresso stands on the peninsula in 1993, when she was just 22 years old, then moved to Seattle to go to college and work in the insurance business.

But the lure of the Olympic Peninsula and a desire to become a professional winemaker drew her home. In 2000, she was hired by Olympic Cellars in Sequim as an apprentice and soon was promoted to head winemaker.

In 2004, she and Hinkle survived when the Cessna they were riding in crashed in Olympic National Park. That was the impetus for Gagnon to launch her own winery and be her own boss.

After recovering from her injuries and working through the 2004 harvest, she launched Harbinger.

All her grapes come from the Columbia Valley east of the Cascades, though she does make two fruit wines — blackberry and raspberry — using berries from west of the mountains.

Today, she produces 3,000 cases of wine, most of which are sold directly from her winery. Here are some Harbinger wines we’ve tasted recently. Ask for them at your favorite wine merchant or call Harbinger directly at 360-452-4262.

Harbinger Winery NV La Petite Fleur Dynamo White, Washington, $15: This blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling opens with aromas of baked pear and apple, followed by flavors of sage and orchard fruit.

Harbinger Winery 2009 Sagemoor Vineyard Barbera, Columbia Valley, $28: This Italian red begins with aromas of spicy oak, woodruff, black cherry, dark chocolate and cola. It’s an alluring wine on the palate with flavors of plum, spice and bittersweet chocolate. It is beautifully balanced and will pair well with beef stroganoff, lasagna or a ribeye topped with sauteed mushrooms.

Harbinger Winery NV Dynamo Red, Washington, $16: Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc combine for a delicious and affordable red wine that offers aromas of smoked bacon, black cherry and plum, backed by flavors of boysenberry, plum, lime zest and minerality. Pair this with ravioli, split pea soup or hot wings.

Harbinger Winery NV Blackberry Bliss, Washington, $22: Blackberries are a late summer gift in Western Washington, and a longtime tradition is picking berries and turning them into pies, cobblers and jams. Gagnon turns hers into a delicious wine. It opens with aromas of blueberry, maple syrup, vanilla and, of course, blackberry. On the palate, it is nicely textured with off-dry flavors of blackberry and vanilla ice cream.

Harbinger Winery 2009 Elephant Mountain Vineyards Sangiovese, Rattlesnake Hills, $30: This Sangiovese shows how well Italy’s signature grape can fare in Washington. It opens with aromas of oak, black cherry, black olive and cola, followed by rich flavors of cherry, vanilla and a sprinkling of cocoa. It’s a big wine with the fruit to support it. Pair with lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs or grilled portabella mushrooms.

Harbinger Winery 2009 El Jefe, Rattlesnake Hills, $27: This Rhone blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache opens with aromas of sarsaparilla, vanilla extract, black cherry and black pepper, transitioning to flavors of black currant, black olive, boysenberry and granite dust. It’s an elegant wine with great length and breadth.

Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue run Great Northwest Wine, a news and information company. Learn more about wine at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.