After several years of making wine in his Cincinnati basement—and upon the insistence of his wife Sara—Bells Up winemaker and owner Dave left a successful and lucrative career as a corporate tax attorney (that made him stressed, sick and miserable) to learn how to make wine as a pro. Also on his resume, 20+ years as a French Horn player, an MBA, a certificate in enology from Washington State University, and a masochistic passion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At Bells Up, Dave manages all winemaking activities, vineyard maintenance and development, and tractor driving. He loves nothing more than to share his wines in private tasting experiences with Bells Up guests. Contact info@bellsupwinery.com https://bellsupwinery.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, memorable about your winery brand?
What makes our brand unique are the connections we forge with every guest we host. We began making wine as a hobby in our basement in 2006 when we lived in Ohio and I was still working as a corporate tax attorney. We never thought it would be anything other than a hobby until we visited the Willamette Valley in 2008 and fell in love with the small, family-owned wineries whose owners and winemakers spent so much time with their customers—and whose passion and dedication to their craft was palpable. That’s what we ultimately sought to emulate with Bells Up, and we do that by making our tastings by appointment and by only taking one group at a time.
Of the 800+ wineries in the Willamette Valley, there is almost no one else offering private, winemaker-hosted tasting experiences exclusively for one group at a time. But there are so many advantages. For one, we can customize the experience to each group’s interests and wine preferences. For another, we can talk to each group at their level of wine knowledge, from the complete novices (for many, Bells Up is the first winery they’ve ever visited in person) to the highly sophisticated. Nobody who spends time here ever feels intimidated or afraid to ask questions they may have felt uncomfortable asking at other wineries.
This also goes into the presentation of the wines themselves. Rather than talk about the traditional sensory characteristics of wines like aromas and flavors (which are entirely dependent on individual palates), we encourage our customers to focus on the texture of the wines. We also help them connect the feelings of the wines to the feelings of the musical compositions that inspired them. If you look at the many online reviews our guests have written about us, a recurring theme is how we present the wines in a very unique way—one that is approachable to everyone regardless of their experience level.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained. Sky’s the limit!
Besides selling out of wine every year right after harvest is over, right? Honestly, other than needing a clone of me (there are NEVER enough hours in the day!), I wouldn’t want our operation to be any different than it is right now. A bigger, fancier, more over-the-top production does not improve the quality of wines or make the customer experience better. Our humble facilities are plenty good enough to make great wines when you have attention to detail built into your DNA. Our guests always tell us that what makes Bells Up special is that they can connect with the passion we have for the craft of winemaking, and I think that can only be done when your operation looks and feels relatable and achievable to everyone who comes in the door.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
Without a doubt, our Helios Seyval Blanc. I’m a sucker for an underdog story and I don’t think it gets better than taking a grape typically found on the east coast and the Midwest and planting it in the heart of the west coast. We have the only planting of Seyval Blanc in the Willamette Valley and only the second in Oregon. Discovering new wines is where the fun is.
Back east, Seyval Blanc is typically made into either a sweeter or very acid-forward wine. But I have always believed those approaches undersell Seyval’s potential as one of the most complex and fun white wines you’ll ever find. I make it unoaked but stir relentlessly on the lees to develop a creamy texture that tempers the acidity. This technique produces a wine that is smooth on the palate and shows a host of citrus and tropical fruit flavors. As it sits in the glass and opens up, aromas and flavors begin to appear that the taster may not have sensed when they first approached it. It’s a wonderful food pairing white that is also eminently sippable on a hot summer day. Read my cheeky wine review here.
Bonus Question – Why Winemaking?
I’ve always said that the magic of wine is its ability to bring people together. Sharing a great bottle of wine makes the mood happier and gives us a chance to exhale from our day-to-day grind. One of the greatest advantages of being a small, craft-centric operation is that many times your customers become your friends—even if they don’t live locally.
We always ask our customers to send us pictures when they open our wines in those little moments of their everyday lives, especially when they’re sharing with family and friends. When we get those pictures, it makes me happy for two reasons. First, because our marketing department (i.e. Sara) has more material for our social media feeds. 😊 But second, and more important, is knowing that our efforts were a part of that special moment for someone. In a world where snark and anger seem to be ever present, we need as many moments of joy and friendship as we can get. I’m proud to do my part for that noble cause.