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.
