Baer Winery
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
LOCATION : Woodin Creek District
HOURS (as of Jan 2023): Mon-Friday 2-8pm, Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-6pm
TASTING FEE (as of Jan 2023): $15 (all reds)
If you’ve taken the time to explore the up-and-coming Woodin Creek district you’ve probably noticed a few things; it’s pedestrian-friendly, with ample walkways that take you between the attractive residential/retail buildings and through the all-seasons landscaping without having to cross auto traffic. The district is thoughtfully designed with interesting corners and micro-neighborhoods everywhere. One such corner is Wine Alley, a filament-bulb-draped pedestrian street that looks straight off the cover of a magazine on European travel.
Near the entrance to Wine Alley you’ll find a new tasting room for a tenured winery; Baer, which will celebrate its 20th vintage this year. Indexing high on reds since its inception, Baer still produces its wines in Maltby and the warehouse district across town (where they operate a second tasting room). The Wine Alley tasting room is cozy and bright, with the brand’s mildly art-deco aesthetic intersecting with comfortable leather couches and natural colors of bare wood and stone.
The brand’s history is tinged with tragedy - founder and originating winemaker Lance Baer passed away early in the winery’s story, but his legacy lives on with his sister and father, who now own and operate Baer in partnership with consulting winemaker Erica Orr. Baer doesn’t shy away from a pun, with bottles like “Arctos,” “Ursa” and “Callisto” all pertaining to the name shared by family and brand alike.
The $15 tasting includes five pours (all reds at the time of my tasting, though the company also produces a Chardonnay and a rosé annually). Baer’s 235-acre vineyard being in possession of the proper climatic and terrestrial conditions for big, bold reds, it’s no surprise that their plantings of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have delivered results year after year. Of particular note are their Malbec and their Merlot (branded as “Star”), both highly saturated showings of the beloved Washington staples.
Baer produces about a dozen different wines, with bottles ranging in price from $22-$47. White drinkers beware—when the Chardonnay and rosé are gone, they’re gone until the next vintage arrives—but for those who love a bold and brassy Washington red, Baer is the right choice. Food is not available at the Woodin Creek tasting room.
Reservations are only taken for wine club members, who receive first priority in the modestly-sized tasting room; however, it may be worth it to take a chance if your group is large, as there are plenty of other tasting rooms in Wine Alley to entertain you while you wait for a table. Minors are allowed inside, but dogs are not. If you’d like to visit this robust legacy winery, let us know in your pre-tour survey and we will make sure not to miss it.
Salut, and enjoy Woodinville!
