2025 Helios *NEW RELEASE*
Estate Seyval Blanc ∞ Chehalem Mountains AVA
21 cases produced. $38
The first and only planting of Seyval Blanc in the Willamette Valley (second in Oregon), Helios is named for Carl Nielsen’s “Helios Overture, Opus 18.” Grown in Bells Up’s vineyard, this hybrid wine grape is found mainly in the Midwest – our former home – and East Coast. Although unrelated to Sauvignon Blanc, Helios shares many similarities in flavor and texture. Fuller bodied, Helios is aged sur lie for six months to produce a creamy texture. No malolactic fermentation yields balanced acidity mingled with earthiness and tropical fruit characteristics.
The Vineyard
We are proud to have the Willamette Valley’s first planting of Seyval Blanc (and just the second in Oregon), a hybrid varietal with which winemaker Dave Specter had much success as an amateur in Cincinnati. It grows in a 0.75-acre block on the west side of our vineyard at approximately 500 feet elevation. The first of these vines were planted in spring 2015 with subsequent expansions in fall 2020 and fall 2021.
The Weather
Following a relatively normal mid-April budbreak, the 2025 growing season continued the trend of warmer summers in the Willamette Valley. This resulted in a slightly earlier than normal harvest in mid-September. However, this vintage represents one of the rare times that flavor development and sugar/acid development occurred more or less in concert. As a result, the 2025 vintage shows an excellent balance of flavor and structure with moderate alcohol levels.
TECHNICAL NOTES