Bells Up Winery – Newberg, Oregon

I still find it hard to believe that Porcupine Balls and Instagram can be used in the same sentence to begin my review of Bells Up Winery in Newberg, Oregon. 

Months before Peepaw and I left on our latest road trip to the Willamette Valley wine country, I posted a photo on Instagram. It’s a photo of my world famous (OK…maybe not) Porcupine Balls.

It wasn’t long before I got this comment from an Instagram follower named bellsupwinery: “We are intrigued by the porcupine balls…and wondering what wine to pair with them.”

I wasn’t sure if that comment required a serious answer…so I replied, “With Porcupine Balls I poured a great vintage…ICED TEA! And FYI…no porcupines were harmed in the preparation of this meal!”

After that comical exchange I totally forgot about the whole conversation thread. But weeks later I posted THIS photo on Instagram…

I wrote that I was enjoying some dark chocolate with my glass of Cabernet while planning our itinerary for our upcoming road trip to Oregon wine country. I said was looking for wineries and tasting rooms to visit. And, lo and behold, I quickly received an invitation from Bells Up Winery…and a promise to send me home with a Grape Pie after our tasting. And then THIS comment: “We are looking forward to convincing you to divulge the secrets of your porcupine balls!”

Now I was intrigued, since I had never tasted a Grape Pie! (What “Foodie” could pass up an invitation like that?)  So Peepaw and I scheduled a Bells Up wine tasting visit during our Oregon stay. 

The day of our appointment turned out to be a perfect “rag-top” day for a top-down convertible drive to rural Newberg…

And there it was…the sign we were searching for…

The steep driveway was lined with grape vines on both sides. And those vines are a perfect example of the saying “Good things come to those who wait” since the vines on the right (a neighboring vineyard’s vines) are 25 years old…and the smaller, newer Bells Up vines on the left are only a few years old. 

But even though the Bells Up vines are in their infancy they are already bearing high quality, sumptuous fruit.

Mother Nature knows best!

We parked the car near the large building we assumed to be the tasting room…

And we were quickly met by the smiling, welcoming winemakers themselves…David and Sara Specter.

After introductions were completed, all four of us simply stood there quietly for a few minutes…admiring the incredible beauty all around us. We could almost feel the good vibes surrounding those vines, those grapes, and that stunning view!

The former Christmas tree farm has been transformed into an award-winning un-domaine winery, meaning many of the grapes used in their wine are not yet produced by their own young vines. Currently the winery  purchases most of their grapes from micro-growers located on the northern side of the Willamette Valley. 

As Dave and Sara ushered us inside we were instantly met by a burst of cool air.

We discovered that the tasting room and the large wine storage tanks are housed together in the same area, so those plush Bells Up Winery blankets are a wonderful amenity to offer to guests at the tasting table.

The laid-back atmosphere and the gorgeous views were the perfect setting to get down to business. The business of tasting those wines created in this boutique winery.

Sara and David are passionate about their wines, and I could literally taste that passion…

Their story began in Cincinnati where David was a very successful (but very unhappy) corporate tax attorney who made wine in his basement as an escape from his “real” job. And at the same time, Sara was watching her ad agency mentor and dear friend Kelly Palmer as she courageously fought a losing battle with pancreatic cancer…at the much too young age of forty. One day Sara had an epiphany. She told David “Life is short. If you’re this successful in a career that you hate, how much more successful would you be doing something you love?”

So after much soul searching, the couple took the many steps necessary to turn their basement wine-making hobby into the Bells Up Winery of today. David has studied viticulture and oenology with some of the best winemakers around the country, and his wines have already won national awards and accolades. And Sara puts her design and marketing skills to work every day through social media and throughout the winery. It’s a symphony of success for the couple.

And speaking of symphonies…Just how did David and Sara choose the Bells Up name for their winery? David told me he was a French horn player in high school and college. He said “Bells Up” is the moment in classical music when the conductor instructs the French horn players to lift the bells of their instruments up to project the musical notes with maximum intensity. And this beautiful Chehalem Mountain winery truly is David’s Bells Up moment.

So… how did this awesome duo end up in Oregon? Believe it or not, David and Sara took a vacation to Oregon in 2008, and they stayed at a Bed & Breakfast a stone’s throw (literally) from the tasting room where we were sitting! One morning during their vacation, Sara stepped outside and she announced  (I quote) “One day we’re going to move here, you’re going to be a professional winemaker, we’re going to get vineyard property on Bell Road because the location and the view are perfect, and we’re going to own a winery–in twenty years.”

Hmm…Twenty years? Sara’s proclamation was made in 2008…and this is 2016. So it looks to this old Meemaw as if  Dave and Sara are overachievers, among many other admirable traits. And how about the road’s name? Yes…Bells Up Winery is on Bell Road! Just how many “angel taps” does it take to realize this Heaven On Earth location is EXACTLY where these two (and their sweet little daughter) are meant to be!

Now…back to that luscious wine.  

While I tasted…

Peepaw (my designated driver) enjoyed the view…

And he marveled at the beautiful choice of the blue chalk paint color…especially on the tongue and groove ceiling and the handmade artwork hanging on the walls in that sparkling clean room.

Peepaw even checked out David’s lab where science and nature meet and mingle…

I’ve said before I am NOT a wine expert. Not by a long shot. But I know what I like. And the wines I sampled at Bells Up Winery were superb.

As I gazed out the window I noticed a rock perched on the post at the end of a row of vines…so I asked our hosts to explain.

The rock tells the vineyard workers which row they finished with their pruning or tying. (So clever!)

I also asked Sara to tell me what the small plaques with names meant on some of the posts. And my eyes filled with tears when she told me every row with a name is dedicated to someone they love who has died. And Sara’s dear friend Kelly is Row One. (You can read the heartbreaking yet heartwarming story here.)

After tasting a number of wines I made my purchases, and as we began to walk to the door, Sara reminded me of her Instagram promise. She ran to the freezer to grab that highly anticipated Grape Pie to take with us, so I could bake it later in the week and share it with our friends. (Details later.)

So…what wines did I purchase?

I brought home a bottle of Bells Up 2015 Prelude Rose’ to serve with our Thanksgiving turkey. My daughter in law and I have hatched a plan to open that bottle, grab two glasses, and lock ourselves in the bathroom during dinner so we won’t have to share. (Just kidding…I think!)

I also brought two bottles of 2014 Firebird Syrah since I love dark, full-bodied red wines with a tannin tingle.

And I bought a bottle of 2014 Titan Pinot Noir which Sara assured me would be just perfect to pair with (you guessed it) Meemaw’s Porcupine Meatballs. Now THAT meal would be a memorable #BellsUpMoment for sure!

Yes…As Peepaw and I drove away from that beautiful spot, we looked back at the amazing winery that has become a dream come true for both Dave and Sara. 

Bells Up Winery…

David and Sara’s wines are worth the drive…from anywhere. And their amazing story of triumph over tragedy will warm your heart. Those two are living proof that good things DO come to those who wait.

Especially on Bell Road.