The Pacific Northwest of the United States is my current wine region obsession, with Oregon wine from the Willamette Valley being the standout.
Famous for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Oregon wine scene has gained worldwide recognition in recent years. However, there’s more to Oregon wine than those two well-known varietals, and I’ve found the ideal winery to expand your Oregon wine horizons.
Bells Up Winery is a micro-boutique winery located in the heart of Oregon wine country.
Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Dave and Sara Specter, this winery showcases passion, expertise, and creativity in wine. I had the opportunity to visit Bells Up Winery in May 2019 and was totally awe inspired by The Specter’s approach to wine…one that pays homage to the tradition of the Willamette Valley while pushing the limits with unique, unfamiliar, one-of-a-kind wines.
A tasting flight at Bells Up will introduce you to varietals that the average wine drinker has probably never tried. Of course, there are also some standout Pinot Noirs on the menu too (my personal favorite is the Titan Pinot Noir). This summer I had the opportunity to revisit some of the more unique Bells Up wines which only made me fall in love with the beauty of Oregon wine even more.
Keep reading for information on these unique wine varietals and food pairing recommendations for each bottle!
First up, the 2019 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc.
For those who enjoy a full-bodied wine with lots of minerality, the Rhapsody Pinot Blanc is for you. The first sip is so flavorful it will leave you speechless…and then you will quickly realize how phenomenal a well-made white wine can be.
The Rhapsody Pinot Blanc features balanced acidity, tongue-tingling minerality, and flavors of citrus—I picked up on lots of lemon and lime—on the palate. The aroma is reminiscent of ripe peaches, and the mouthfeel is smooth and luxurious. There’s so much going on in this wine that every sip feels like a party in your mouth.
The Pinot Blanc varietal is a mutation of Pinot Noir best known for producing dry white wines. It is most commonly grown in Germany and Italy, and is often associated with Franciacorta sparklers. Pinot Blank is considered an uncommon varietal in general, so to find a 100% Pinot Blanc wine in the United States makes Bells Up Rhapsody Pinot Blanc even more special. I already can’t wait to get my hands on another bottle of this lavish white wine.
I paired the Rhapsody Pinot Blanc with a stewed Greek lamb recipe and some homemade flat breads. The rich lamb, salty olives, creamy feta, and tart lemon in the dish paired perfectly with the Rhapsody. I truly didn’t want this meal to end…and I surely didn’t want that bottle to run out!
Here’s the specs for the 2019 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc:
Production: 51 cases
Clones: 100% Pinot Blanc produced from 12-year vines
Soils: Jory
Harvest: September 26, 2019
Harvest Brix: 20.9
Cooperage: Aged sur lie 6 months in stainless steel
Bottled: March 2, 2020
Released: April 1, 2020
Alcohol: 12.4%
pH: 3.27
Price: $28
My next Bells Up summer sample was the 2019 Prelude Rosé of Pinot Noir. This rosé is a standout not only for its flavor, but for its beautiful, unique, ruby color. I’ve never seen a rosé so vibrant as the Bells Up Prelude!
Admittedly, I love to soak in the color and aroma of this wine before ever taking a sip. The color of this beautiful rosé is a result of the liquid soaking on the skins of the Pinot Noir grapes for just 48 hours before being pressed and then undergoing fermentation. (To learn more about how rosé wines get their wide variety of hues, check out my blog post that explains the methods of rosé production here.)
The aroma of the Bells Up Prelude reminds me of ripe red berries, which suits the color of the wine perfectly. The first sip will showcase the flavor of strawberry layered upon subtle citrus notes. The Prelude is a full-bodied rosé, enhanced by six months of barrel aging in neutral French oak.
I featured the Bells Up Prelude in a recent Zoom cooking class I hosted (hello, COVID activity!), and paired this fabulous rosé with my Mediterranean Farro Salad recipe. The fruit-forward, balanced profile of the Prelude is a perfect complement to the subtle sweetness of the shrimp and the herbaceous quality of the Farro salad. (Hint: grab a bottle of the Prelude online and serve it alongside my Mediterranean Farro Salad recipe for a light, fresh, summery meal!)
For all the wine geeks, here’s the specs on the 2019 Prelude!
Production: 99 cases
Clones: 50% Pommard: 6-year vines; 50% 667: 6-year vines
Soils: Jory
Harvest: September 29, 2019
Harvest Brix: 23.2
Cooperage: Aged 6-months in neutral French oak
Bottled: April 10, 2020
Released: April 20, 2020
Alcohol: 12.7%
pH: 3.19
Price: $22
Last but certainly not least, I pulled the cork off the Bells Up 2019 Helios Estate Seyval Blanc on a warm, summer afternoon.
Chilled to perfection and refreshing as ever, the Helios was a perfect mid-afternoon wind down drink. The Seyval Blanc is pale in color and lighter-bodied than the previous two wines. This acid-driven wine balances its tart mouthfeel with aromas of citrus fruit and flavors of candied lemon and bitter orange alongside subtle minerality. This wine has “day drinking” written all over it…pair it with a light snack and some sunny weather and you’re set.
Speaking of pairings, I must admit this recommendation may seem a bit odd at first, but give it a try before you judge! I sipped my Helios Seyval Blanc while snacking on some dill pickle-flavored popcorn from Trader Joe’s. I don’t really even like dill pickles, but there was something about how the tangy popcorn played off the bright, vibrant flavors of the Helios that simply worked. Just goes to show you that not every pairing has to be fancy, right?!
Seyval Blanc is a very uncommon wine varietal in the western United States. Believe it or not, it actually grows quite well in England, and also has a presence in the Finger Lakes wine region of New York as well as Canada. While Bells Up Helios Seyval Blanc is acid-driven and fruity, you may see Seyval Blanc featured in late harvest or Eiswein-style dessert wines in other parts of the world. Bells Up is home to the Willamette Valley’s first planting of Seyval Blanc, and only the second in the state of Oregon, making it a hidden gem of Oregon wine country!
Here’s all the details for the 2019 Helios:
Production: 43 cases
Clones: 100% Seyval Blanc: 4-year vines
Soils: Jory
Harvest: September 26, 2019
Harvest Brix: 19.1
Cooperage: Aged sur lie 6 months in stainless steel
Bottled: March 2, 2020
Released: April 1, 2020
Alcohol: 12.9%
pH: 3.27
Price: $28
If you happen to be driving through Oregon wine country, I highly recommend a stop at Bells Up Winery.
Dave and Sara host private tastings for all of their guests on their deck overlooking the vineyard, and it’s such a wonderful experience to get to know them and their wines in tandem. If you can’t make it up there in-person, consider ordering some wine from Bells Up online. Bells Up wines are all affordably priced for the quality that you get, and they can be shipped out of state. Pair the Rhapsody Pinot Blanc, Prelude Rosé, and Helios Seyval Blanc with the foods mentioned in this blog and you’re guaranteed to enjoy all the flavor, complexity, and uniqueness that Bells Up wines have to offer.
Questions, comments, pairing ideas? Let me know in the comments below!
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OK Schitt’s Creek I get. But why no Andre for balanced reportage? Nicely written and informative. Good photography, too.