Metrolink Matters Double Trouble Wine Room on Main Street in Old Town Newhall features the works of two local wineries – Pagter Brothers Winery and Hoi Polloi Winery (hence the name “double trouble”) in a family-friendly setting that’s walking distance from the Newhall Metrolink station.
“All the wineries here in Old Town Newhall are different enough that we don’t ‘compete,’” says Winemaker Scott Pagter of Double Trouble’s Pagter Brothers Winery. Pagter comes from a background in the entertainment industry and has been making wine for about 13 years. Both of Double Trouble’s wineries specialize in making wines from grapes grown from Paso Robles and Santa Ynez. “We’re both small, boutique wineries each making under 1,000 cases a year. My style is much more of a Big, Bold California Style. It’s great stuff. Everything is hands-on. We’re involved every step of the way from picking up the grapes to the winery, to crushing the grapes, the yeast, pressing – the whole bit,” says Pagter on their winemaking process.
Double Trouble’s wines are especially pure, without added sugars or preservatives. “Our wines are basically grapes and yeast. Really natural, the least amount of preservatives you can deal with by law,” says Pagter.
“Double Trouble is a fantastic destination to enjoy a glass (or bottle) of wine with friends or family in a kid-friendly and dog-friendly outdoor patio setting. It’s fun to welcome visitors on weekends when we have live bands and a nice outdoor sitting area,” says Pagter. “When our back area is open again, people can visit and their kids can play with the toys out there that I got from when I worked at Mattel.”
Pagter himself is an avid user of public transportation and commuted via Metrolink while working in the entertainment industry. “I used to take the train a lot into the office. I’ve worked in Burbank and El Segundo and took it to work in both locations all the time. When I was working in the studios in Burbank for a few years directing voice overs for TV shows, I would take Metrolink and then ride my bike to the studio from the station. When I worked at Mattel in El Segundo, I would take the train to work there,” he says of his past commutes. He has also used the train for leisure trips to visit family and acknowledged the stress of traffic and the time that it would save him on each trip. “I’ve also taken Metrolink to Orange County where my parents live, and since there are no later trains, I’d just stay there overnight and take the train back up the next morning.”
One of the benefits of taking Metrolink to Old Town Newhall to taste wine is its close proximity to Los Angeles. “People can save a lot of time by taking Metrolink out to Newhall for the wine trail and brewery trail without having to drive far away (or without having to drive anywhere at all). It’s a short train trip up here – a lot closer to LA than Santa Barbara or Paso Robles and a lot less stress.” Pagter encourages locals to come visit him onsite. He’s been impressed by his local community during these challenging times. “We have a nice sized wine club and our members have basically kept us afloat,” he says. “It’s also just so great to have such fantastic neighbors such as the surrounding wineries, breweries, and restaurants around us.”
Double Trouble is offering 10% off any glasses or bottles — and maybe a special taste of something hidden behind the bar when SoCal Explorer Loyalty members show their pass onsite.
