Sara Gagnon Owner Vintner

Harbinger Winery is an artisan winery focused on making premium, ultra-drinkable wines from Washington State. Visit our warm, inviting and cozy tasting room, and be among friends.

At Harbinger Winery our mission in this life is to craft incredibly drinkable Washington State wines that justly represent the varietal and land from which they were grown. With a focus on "out of the ordinary" varietals, as well as traditional favorites, we strive to keep your cellar varied, your palate delighted and your state of mind pleasantly surprised. 

"Step Forward and Be the Harbinger of Your Own Dreams." - Sara Gagnon, Owner/Vintner

The Harbinger Journal

What Makes Artisan Wine Different? The Science Behind Small-Batch Winemaking

January 15, 2026

2026 Blog Series: The Craft, Science, and Community of Artisan Wine What Makes Artisan Wine Different? The Science Behind Small-Batch Winemaking What is artisan wine? Artisan wine is wine made in small batches with hands-on decision making at every stage — from vineyard sourcing to fermentation and aging — prioritizing quality, transparency, and expression over volume or consistency. At Harbinger Winery, we believe artisan wine isn’t a trend. It’s a commitment — to science, craft, and community. The word artisan gets used a lot, but in wine it has a very specific meaning. Artisan wineries typically: Produce limited quantitiesSource grapes intentionally, often from specific vineyardsMake fermentation and aging decisions lot by lotAccept vintage variation instead of engineering sameness Unlike industrial...

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