The family

Rooted in Family

Our family estate, Bavarian Lion Vineyards, is located in Knights Valley, Northern Sonoma County.

We have been farming top-quality Bordeaux varietals since 1996, selling much of our fruit to prestigious Napa and Sonoma County wineries. In 2005, we decided to reserve our highest-quality grapes for our brand, Ehret.

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The estate

Bavarian Lion Vineyards

Bavarian Lion Vineyards is one of the largest estates in Knights Valley, stretching across 1,800 acres of hillside terrain and valley floor. Only 500 acres is planted to grapes, allowing an ecosystem of plant and birdlife to flourish.

Knights Valley is located in Northern Sonoma County between Alexander Valley and over the Napa Valley border into Calistoga.

EXPLORE

Knights Valley

Knights Valley is the warmest appellation in Sonoma County. It is situated between Alexander Valley and Chalk Hill, and borders Calistoga in the Napa Valley.

Originally carved by the Russian River, the volcanic activity and the eruption of Mount St. Helena turned the river west and raised Knights Valley floor. The rocks that form Mount St. Helena are known as the Sonoma Volcanics and the eruptions that formed these rocks are estimated to have been between 2.6 and 8 million years ago.

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SUSTAINABILITY

At Ehret

Since 1996, Bavarian Lion Vineyards has been managed with an ecologically comprehensive approach. We are certified sustainable in that we have a certification in from the California Land Stewardship Institute. Around one quarter of the estate is planted to vines, and we have preserved the rest as a natural wilderness for birdlife, wildlife and insects. We believe in cultivating flowers and plants that attract beneficial insects and planting cover crops to replenish the soil’s nutrients.

Our sustainable vineyard practices involve a minimalist approach. Farming in the vineyard is ecologically respectful and sustainable, as all energy comes from installed solar panels and drip irrigation is used for the entire vineyard.