Moses Lake winery moves into new facility

Kyra Wines grows onto port property

MOSES LAKE - Longtime area grape growers have seen their Moses Lake winery move onto the next step this week.

Kyra Baerlocher moved her winery, Kyra Wines, into a new facility Sept. 1.

"So it's been a really mad dash to get everything moved, get harvest going and get ready for an open house," she said.

The open house is scheduled for Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, from noon to 5 p.m.

The winery started out in May 2006 by producing 600 cases, but has steadily grown.

"We decided to get a facility that can handle everything we are doing," she said. "We looked at several different options. The (Port of Moses Lake) had this building available and they were very encouraging and very supportive, so here we are."

The new building, located at 8029 Andrews St. N.E., is 5,200 square feet.

Before making the move, Baerlocher had stored wine and case goods at her house, and barrels at the Wahluke Wine Company. She still has some storage in the Tri-Cities with a company which employs developmentally disabled people, she said.

The new location cuts down on Baerlocher's traveling, and enables the winery to grow with its new tank storage and square footage. The winery is planning to add a public tasting room.

"You just have to grow gradually, and we're at that space now where we can have the tasting room and have people come and enjoy," Baerlocher said.

The Washington wine industry is booming at the moment, Baerlocher said, and she believes her company has benefited.

"The people of Moses Lake, too, have been very supportive and good customers of us, including the restaurants and retail stores," she said.

Kyra Wines got its start in 2006 when Baerlocher and her husband of 28 years, Bruce, originally grape growers making private lots of wine at home, decided to devote more time to the activity as their family got older.

"It's also been really fun to do something that's a business with my husband," she said. "I think we make a really good team and we've enjoyed being together more."

In the new location, KyraWines will be crushing 10 tons this harvest, double the size of previous production levels. The company planted a new, 100-acre vineyard last spring, and Baerlocher expected to increase volume as it matures.

"We're adding a new varietal this harvest; it's a Dolcetto, which is an Italian varietal, and because our vineyards are also maturing, that helps us to offer more varieties too," Baerlocher said. "Even though it's tiring, harvest is always exciting. You're getting the newest grape, and there's so much potential when it arrives here. It's fun to see how it matures, and kind of the mystery of what it's going to be."

She would like to reach the 3,000-case level, something she believes is possible in the facility and a good level to be at in order to have a nice variety of wines and participate in a number of outlets.

She is full-time "and then some" at the business, and her husband, family and friends have been pitching in to help her out.

"I can see we'll be adding employees at some future date," she said.

Since launching, the winery distributes throughout Washington and Oregon, and won several awards throughout the Northwest, Texas and California.

"It's still just as fun," Baerlocher said. "We're having a good time with it, we're really excited about everything we're doing and it promises us more adventure."

For more information, call 509-750-8875, e-mail info@kyrawines.com or access the Web site at www.kyrawines.com.