We were again delighted to be one of the featured wineries at the Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers Association’s (CMWA) third installment of Magic in the Mountains back on Saturday, June 4. The annual event — hosted in the ballroom at the Allison Inn and Spa (just a stone’s throw away from our winery and vineyard) — showcases the broad range of wines produced in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.
Money Honey Sara represented Bells Up alongside our special guest pourer and dear friend Abigail (pictured above with Sara). Abigail previously ran the tasting room at Colene Clemens winery and now provides travel and vacation concierge services. But she graciously let us drag her out of winery retirement for an afternoon to help pour two of our newly released wines. This year chose to feature two of the wines grown and produced entirely in our home vineyard and winery: 2021 Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir and 2021 Helios Estate Seyval Blanc.
Magic in the Mountains 2022 featured more than 20 of Oregon’s most acclaimed wineries. It was also attended by several industry and trade media, including wine writer L.M. Archer, who filed a report for Wine Business on the event — including a quote from Sara! She wrote:
Established in 2006, the region spans 62,500 acres; vineyards account for 2,720 acres. The name Chehalem Mountains derives from a series of ridges towering over 1,633 feet above sea level – home to some of the area’s steepest vineyards.
This soil diversity allows for greater grape varieties, too. “We specifically poured two of our estate-grown wines from 2021: Helios Seyval Blanc and Prelude Estate Rosé,” says Sara Specter, co-proprietor at micro-boutique Bells Up Winery. “Probably 99% of the tasters had never even heard of Seyval Blanc – we have the first and only planting in the Willamette Valley – so it was fun to share something unique and unusual in the area.”
Missed it this year? Stay tuned to the Magic in the Mountains website for details about next year’s event as soon as a date is selected.
