The Estate Vineyard
Located in Stanwood, Washington, the heart of Bayernmoor is our estate vineyard. Just under six acres of Pinot Noir sit centrally located on the south-facing slope of the property. This location was selected from the 100+ acres on the property based on maximized sun exposure and the soil composition. These vines range in age from 10 years old to our latest additions planted in 2015. We know that all wine starts in a vineyard. Our main focus in the vineyard is to produce the highest quality grapes possible. We have taken several steps in order to achieve this goal. Using a selection of Clone 777 and other classic Burgundian clones grafted onto 3309 rootstock, we have tailored our vines to produce more concentrated and complex grapes. During the growing season, we perform a green harvest to reduce yield and increase quality and concentration. At the time of harvest we hand pick only the ripest grapes, waiting days in some cases to make multiple passes through the vines. Our other focus is sustainable farming. Using a mix of organic and other mindful farming practices, we weigh each viticultural decision to improve quality against its impact on the surrounding environment. From first planting through years of harvest, we will continue to act in a way that makes the vineyard and surrounding land generationally sustainable.
THE TERROIR
The concept of terroir (pronounced tare WAHr) has more than a few definitions. To us, terroir is a wine’s expression of the region from which it came and how it represents that region’s climate, geography, soil, and winemaking traditions. At Bayernmoor, we take great pride in having our estate Pinot Noir represent the terroir of our vineyard. Our climate is very similar to Burgundy, the home of Pinot Noir, in average monthly rainfall and average monthly temperature. Our rocky, limestone-rich soil provides the perfect bed for our vines. For both our estate and non-estate wines, we use classic Burgundian winemaking techniques such as using a mix of new and neutral French oak barrels, sur lie aging for our white wines, and a delicate touch with our Pinot Noir. All of these factors contribute to our goal of Bayernmoor wines having a sense of place.