Bibayoff Vineyard and Winery
- Location: Valle de Guadalupe
- Tel: (646) 176-1008
- Email: bibayoff@prodigy.net.mx
- Directions: Off highway # 3 at “El Tigre”, follow the dirt road to Rancho Bibayoff.
In 1907, a group of Russian Christians known as The Molokans settled the Valle de Guadalupe They first introduced grapes into our lush valley on a large scale.
The original Spanish Missionaries had planted some small vineyards near the local mission prior to 1907 but never really developed the full potential of the valley. Some members of the Molokan Russian community had gained experience growing grapes in Europe so they put their skills to work developing our grape producing region. Several important varieties of table and other grapes were grown such as: Emperor, Ribbier, Thompson (seedless), Flame, Tokay, and White Muscatel.
Today a few descendants of the original Molokans families continue to grow grapes and make wine.
David and Abel Bibayoff Dalgoff own and cultivate about 80 acres of table and wine grapes. They grow them in a region of Valle de Guadalupe Valley called Rancho Toros Pintos. Alexie M. Dalgoff obtained a permit to make wine in the 1930’s and the family continues the winemaking tradition with a nice selection of wines and quality table grapes from their beautiful vineyard.
Vinos Bibayoff will celebrated 100 years of Russian Molokan tradition in August 2007 with a special event featuring, quality wine, food, traditional music and dance. They have a wonderful and very interesting Russian Molokan museum at their winery open to the public.
The Bibayoff’s are very warm and wonderful people and will provide you with a golden opportunity to visit the winery to enjoy their wines.
THE HISTORY OF RUSSIANS IN THE VALLE DE GUADALUPE
The Story of the Bibayoff Winery actually begins in 1904 when a Russian group of Christians called MOLOKANS arrived in Baja California. The Molokans were Christians who broke ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. Severely persecuted in their homeland, they arrived in Baja California to seek a new life. Their exodus from the central Russian provinces of Tombov, Saratov, Voronezh, to Transcaucasia took place in the fourth decade of the 18th century. In Transcaucasia they settled in various colonies near Georgia, Armenia and Kars. Their spiritual beliefs were contrary with the state supported Russian Orthodox church dogma that demanded participation in state sanctioned wars.
In early 1881, a new government decree demanded military service and the Molokans resisted due to their belief in peace and harmony amongst all brothers and sisters. The government responded with exile, imprisonment, torture, and forceful induction into the armed forces. During this period of extreme suffering, the Molokans tried to migrate to the United States. At the beginning of 1900 the Molokans wrote a petition to Tsar Nicholas Alexandrovich asking for permission to leave Russia. The Tsar denied the request, but Leo Tolstoy, who greatly admired the Molokans, helped them get the necessary permission.
In early 1904, they began their migration to Los Angeles area of California. They were deeply grateful to the United States for allowing them a place of refuge. However, it soon became apparent that the California culture was in conflict with Molokan values and spiritual foundations. More importantly, teh cost of land in California was too expensive to farm. The old Russian ways of working the land as community property and community farming in a closed village settlement led them to take a look at moving their migration to Mexico.
The Molokans desired to create a farm colony. They sought assistance from businessman and banker named Donald Baker. Donald Baker suggested that they needed to visit an area in Mexico called Valle de Guadalupe. Due to outstanding farming skill, the Molokans had a history in Russia as perfect colonizers of land. Their communal teamwork, high ethical standards, integrity and hard work were well known.
They were impressed by the friendliness and courtesy shown to them by the local Mexicans here in the Guadalupe Valley. At that time, President Porfirio Diaz led government granted them permission to live in Mexico. So they purchased land.
The Molokans worked with Mr. Baker and were able to purchase a ranch known as Guadalupe Ranch or Rancho Ex-Mission de Guadalupe which was 5266 hectares. They paid $48,000 usd.
104 Molokan families settled in the land. By 1928, the farming colony grew quickly with over over 800 Russians. Many became Mexican citizens by naturalization or by birth. The farming colony grew until about 1945 when many began to move back into California to join others near the town of Bakersfield. By 1947 there were just 49 families remaining in Valle de Guadalupe.
The farms flourished under the stewardship of these families. In 1959, squatters began to invade the valley and took over many Molokan farms forcing the Russians to abandon almost all property by 1965.
During the good times of 1905-1959, the Molokans developed superior farming methods with crop rotation and irrigation. Almost two-thirds of the valley could be farmed. One out of three acres was covered with valuable agriculture. Water was plentiful as the Molokans dug wells.
Wheat, barley, alfalfa, oats and grasses were planted allowing cattle to graze throughout the valley. The fields were also planted with table grapes. Wild horses, descendants of Spanish horses, were tamed and trained as draft horses making the Molokans the first ones in Mexico to use horses instead of oxen to work their farming equipment. Life was good in the valley and the hard working and spiritually motivated Molokans were thriving.
The Molokans have enriched the Valle de Guadalupe and the Bibayoff Winery continues this tradition forward into the 21st Century.
