Our Terroir Philosophy

Long before it became fashionable to talk about wine growing, about winemakers crafting wines from the vineyards rather than from the cellar, Anthony Bell was pursuing a philosophy of terroir. The French term encapsulates the factors which play a role in differentiating one vineyard site from another, including climate, soil, clonal selection, etc. "Wine is grown in the vineyard.", explains Bell. "We are merely stewards of nature while the wine is in our cellar."

In California we are blessed with a great variety of microclimates, each capable of producing grapes of extraordinary quality and style. I seek out these extraordinary vineyards with their unique microclimates, and working closely with the winegrower, strive to optimize the fullest potential of each property. From Rutherford in the heart of the Napa Valley, to Aromas in Santa Cruz County and Murphy's in the Sierra Foothills, each vineyard I purchase grapes from is blessed with a unique terroir.

To compliment the efforts of the winegrower, we strive to produce wines that exhibit wonderful balance. Our wines are often referred to as having an Old World elegance and sophistication. My style of winemaking is to emphasize the fruit and employ vinification techniques that will capture and accentuate the fruit expression unique to each vineyard. Along with fruit, balance is vitally important, and at Bell Wine Cellars we strive to find the quintessential balance between fruit, acid, oak and tannins, in producing our wines. I hope you enjoy the "vineyard expression" in each of our wines.