Book your Maestro Class: A full-sensory, private session hosted by Winemaker Dave Specter — exclusively for one group at a time — by calling 503.537.1328.
Featured Wines
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Sourced from the Bells Up vineyard, this fuller-bodied rosé is named for Franz Liszt’s “Symphonic Poem No. 3: Les Preludes.” Its equal parts heritage clone Pommard and Dijon clone 667 were soaked on skins for 24 hours, then pressed prior to fermentation. Post-ferment, the wine was transferred to neutral French oak for a malolactic ferment to smooth its acidity. -
Named for Leonard Bernstein's operetta of the same name, Candide is comprised of two heritage clones of Pinot Noir—65.4% Wadenswil (11-year-old vines) from Nemarniki Vineyard and 34.6% Pommard (6-year-old vines) from the Bells Up Estate—in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. The 2019 vintage barrel-aged for 12 months in French oak. This wine has the richer mouthfeel and spicier characteristics of these two Pinot clones, made more pronounced by a cooler, wetter growing season. -
Named for Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite,” these grapes are sourced exclusively from Summit View Vineyard, one of the highest elevation sites in Milton-Freewater, Oregon – at 1,150 feet. Its deep, well-drained glacial soil produces full-bodied fruit with intense flavors and vibrant acidity. Aged 12 months in French oak, this gentle, lower tannin Syrah is for Pinot lovers.
The Bells Up Story:
“If you’re this successful in a career that makes you sick, stressed and miserable… how much more successful would you be doing something you love?”
That’s the question Sara asked Dave 12 years ago, following his mental and physical breakdown from more than a decade as a successful corporate tax attorney. This, while watching Sara’s professional mentor battle pancreatic cancer at age 40.
The answer, for us, was that life is too short to spend unhappy. So we turned the basement hobby that brought Dave joy — winemaking — into Bells Up Winery.
Dave left the legal field, dedicating himself full-time to learning the business of making wine as a professional at Henke Winery while we lived in Cincinnati, Ohio.
After Dave won two different amateur national winemaking competitions with two different wines, we decided to relocate to Newberg, Oregon. In 2013, we established Bells Up Winery and our winemaking dreams took root.
Today — micro-boutique, un-domaine and always open by reservation — Bells Up composes handcrafted, classically-styled Oregon Pinot Noir, Rosé, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc and Syrah with grapes sourced exclusively from our estate vineyard and from micro-sites in the Willamette Valley and Eastern Oregon.
The name “Bells Up” refers to a dramatic moment in classical music where the composer instructs French horn players to lift the bells of their instruments up and project sound with maximum intensity. Dave, a French horn player who performed throughout high school and college, says the winery is his “Bells Up” moment.
Experience your own #BellsUpMoment
Perched on the side of Chehalem Mountain and overlooking Newberg and the Willamette Valley to the south, we make approximately 500 cases annually and offer a small selection of Oregon-grown and produced varietals. All Bells Up wines are sold directly from our tasting room.