Wine blogger Josh Peterson of The Vine Less Traveled dropped in for a visit and wine tasting a few weeks ago and surprised us with a delightful blog entry on November 24, 2016: “Chehalem Mountains…A Lesser Known Willamette with Big Surprises! Part 1—Bells Up Winery.”
Josh, who describes himself as a self-taught/obsessed wine geek, keeps the focus of his blog on insights about boutique wineries like ours—although Bells Up was the first “micro-boutique” winery he’d visited. Here’s a few excerpts from his post:
The property now houses a rustic tasting room/barrel house and is planted with slowly maturing vines. Soon there will be estate grapes coming from this prized land as well as a beautiful deck to enjoy the views looking south across the vineyard.
The wines themselves are fashioned in a traditional style – the Pinots in a subtle Burgundian style, while the Syrah reminds me of a lush Rhone. The tasting began with a great Pinot Blanc called Rhapsody that served as a nice palate cleanser. Clean, crisp and perfect for those summer time gatherings.
Next we moved into the Pinot Noir. We tasted two vintages of the flagship Titan Pinot Noir, the 2013 and 2014. I preferred the 2013 as it kept close to the Burgundian style, but also showed off a vintage that was slightly warmer allowing for a more full-bodied mouth.
Following the Titans, we tasted the 2014 Villanelle. This wine is made using single vineyard fruit from the Tonnelier Vineyard in the Yamhill Carlton AVA. This was my favorite Pinot as it offered a fantastic expression of the valley while showcasing the skill of the winemaker.
Thanks Josh, for the kind words and thoughtful feedback about your Bells Up experience and our wines. You can read the entire piece here.
