One of the most beautiful lakes in the world!

What doesn’t Lake Crescent have? This pristine Lake which is part of the Olympic National Park, is only about a 20 minute drive from Port Angeles and you couldn't possibly be bored once you get there. You might be interested in staying the night so check out the Lake Crescent Lodge which sits right on the Lake with a dock that stretches out for superior views. If you’re hungry there is an amazing restaurant with a full bar that serves Harbinger wine! Maybe you’re more interested in “roughing it”. Turn off right before driving around the lake and you can stay at the log cabin resort, which also has adorable little cabins and campsites.

Just there for the day? Take the kids swimming at East Beach, this kid-friendly roped-off area is shallow enough to actually warm the water. If you’re liquid-loving I highly recommend bringing your kayak or paddleboard to this lake. It is completely enclosed so you’ll never be carried off to sea and you just can’t imagine all the beautiful sights you’ll see if you decide to explore every corner of the lake by paddling around it. If you’re just using your feet, there are a plethora of trails. Some of the most popular are Marrymere Falls, Spruce Railroad Trail, and Storm King which all bring you to unique and amazing places. If you’re a risk-taker why not try cliff-jumping into the famous “devil’s punchbowl? And if you like to fish, there are a few different kinds of fish  in this lake including but not limited to the rainbow trout and Kokanee, but just so you know, this is strictly a catch-and release area. Maybe the water is a bit too cold for you, so just keep on driving and you’ll find  the Sol Duc Hot springs where you can sit in resort-style pools which are thermally heated and outdoors so you can still soak up some sun. If none of this sounds interesting to you, then I don’t know what would. Maybe on your way out or possibly on your way back into town, stop by for a little wine at Harbinger winery since we are conveniently located right off the highway and you are sure to pass by. 

The Magic of the Mountains

One of the top attractions here in Port Angeles is Hurricane Ridge. A mere 17 mile-drive up into the Olympic mountains with an elevation gain of about 1 mile will take approximately 45 minutes. Due to all of the breathtaking views, wildlife, wildflowers, and off-road waterfalls it will be hard to keep your eyes on the road. Just 5 miles up, you can park at the “lookout” to see Sequim Bay, the Strait of Juan De Fuca, over to Victoria Canada and, on a clear day you should see Mt. Rainier rising through the clouds. The Olympic National Park does offer a few free days throughout the year, otherwise it’s only $15.00 for the week or you might as well just get the annual pass for $30, especially if you live in Washington. Right after the ranger station is a fantastic park & camp campground called Heart o’ the Hills, but if you’re not camping you might be interested in doing the Heart o’ the hills trail which is pretty easy and probably littered with ripe huckleberries during this time of year.

A couple more miles up is another lookout with a very short trail to a panoramic view of the valleys of Hurricane Ridge which used to be filled with flowing water many, many years ago. If you listen carefully you can hear the much smaller river flowing way down at the bottom, covered by the forest. You’ll pass through a few tunnels, and drive along the side of the mountain on a winding road for a few miles until you reach the visitor’s center. Keep your eyes open for deer, they’re everywhere, and boy are they friendly! 

At the top, you’ll find many trails. During a very short period of the year the “Obstruction Point” Road is open which is a bit scary but if you can make it down this 10-mile road you’ll find a place in nature that has hardly been touched by man, that might take you to beautiful glacially-fed turquoise lakes or on long wild flower-covered trails.

After getting back to nature, we invite you to stop by Harbinger and have a tasting or glass of wine like our La Petite Fleur which is almost as refreshing as drinking from a fast-flowing waterfall created from the melting snow.  We would love to hear about your adventure! 

Getting Here is Easy!

If you live in Seattle or are visiting from another area, you should definitely check out all that the Olympic Peninsula has to offer. Not only can you quickly travel to Victoria, BC by ferry in Port Angeles but the Olympic National Park has an array of amazing trails for anyone from the avid hiker to the not-so-ambitious nature-lover. There’s two ways to travel to the Olympic Peninsula. Some prefer to take the ferry, for its exoticness, if you’ve never ridden a ferry, or just for ease. Others prefer to drive around. During the summer the cost for taking the Bainbridge Ferry, which is the ideal ferry because it is only 30 minutes travel time and leaves right out of Seattle, is $13.65 for a vehicle and driver and $8.00 for extra passengers or to walk on. It then takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to drive to Port Angeles from the ferry terminal in Bainbridge. If you prefer to drive around it takes about 2 hours 40 minutes with no traffic, or 2 ½ hours from the airport. On the return trip the Tacoma Narrows Bridge cost $5.25.

Once on the Olympic Peninsula there is a plethora of outdoor activities. At the top of the list is Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. The drive up to Hurricane Ridge is 17 miles, and takes about 45 minutes but the time will certainly pass easily as there are exquisite all-around scenic views the entire drive up. In fact, if two of you are able to drive, one person should drive up and the other should drive down so each person gets to enjoy the scenery. Lake Crescent is 21 miles outside of Port Angeles and takes about 30 minutes to get to. Have you ever tried kayaking or paddle-boarding? Stop in at Adventures Through Kayaking to find out more. Lake Crescent is a fantastic place to explore these two water sports as you take it slow around this tranquil enclosed lake. And when you get hungry, stop in at the Lake Crescent Lodge where you can enjoy gourmet food and tasty beverages.

Want to know more about what to do in the area? Ask the locals. We are super friendly, laid-back and we are glad you came! 

Raffle Winners!

We are happy to announce the winners of our 2010 Humane Society Raffle! Thanks to you all we were able to raise about $1500 for the OPHS. Great job everyone!

Contact Harbinger Winery at 360-452-4262 to claim your bounty! Thank you to everyone who participated and a Happy New Year to you all!

And the winners are...

2010 OPWA Raffle Winners:

Kayak Winner: Marilyn Muscat (yes thats really her last name!)
Case of Wine or Wine Club for a year: Clyde Sies
Luncheon Facelift with Olympic Day Spa: Pam Caldero
Strait Fusion Glass Bowl: Jeanine Cardiff
Handmade Wool Purse: Adeline Prange
Harbinger Fleece: Sharah Truett
(2) 1/2 Day Kayak or Bike rentals: Charlotte Pierce
Bottom Line Duo CD collection: Zachory Mazar
Harbinger Hat or Beanie: Mary Sue French
Wine Barrel: Leslie Mraz
Wine Slave for a Day: Darcy Gray

preparing for Harvest

Quick update on the latest at Harbinger.

Just finished racking all our 09 reds to new barrels this last week...getting ready for the upcoming and late harvest. Yes, it's a late harvest this year. Gives us more time to prepare. In theory!

And check out our revamped website. www.harbingerwinery.com. Still a few tweaks to make but we are enjoying our new look!

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

Serves 8 Start to finish time: 1.5 hours

4 cups fresh bread cubes (we used challah from a local bakery)

1 ½ lbs fresh wild mushrooms (we used chanterelles)

½ Cups finely chopped shallots

½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups half-and-half

4 large eggs

½ cup grated cheese (we used Mt Townsend’s “New Moon” tomme)

½ cup fresh camembert or chevre (we like Mt Townsend’s “Cirrus”)

Preheat oven to 350* F with rack in the middle. Bake bread cubes in shallow pan until golden brown; about 10 minutes. Clean and chop mushrooms in large pieces. Cook shallots in butter until soft. Add mushrooms, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper and cook until mushroom juice evaporates; about 15 minutes. Add parsley and garlic; cook and stir for 2 additional minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together ½ & ½, eggs, cheese, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper in a large bowl. Stir in mushrooms and bread cubes until coated well; let stand 10 minutes. Butter you baking dish (shallow 2 qt), spoon mixture into the dish until firm to the touch, sprinkle with “New Moon” cheese, and bake until firm to the touch (aprox 30-35 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite Harbinger wine!

YELP Reviews

Yes- we are on Yelp! If you are not familiar with this, YELP is a website that takes reviews from the public. You can find ours here: http://www.yelp.com/c/port-angeles-wa/arts

And yes!!! We are getting great reviews. Please add yours yours and we will shamelessly beg you to write us a raving review.

And while we are at it, please visit our very most favorite YELP reviewed restaurant in Long Beach, CA: The At Last Cafe. Tell them you were sent by Harbinger Winery and are looking forward to their Harbinger Wine Dinner Soon! Date TBD, of course!

Cheers for now!