Bell Wine Cellars
Napa Valley AVA
An unwavering track record of excellence
Anthony Bell has been making wine in the Napa Valley for over three decades and is well known in the wine industry for his incredible Cabernet Sauvignons. His namesake winery, Bell Wine Cellars, is one of Napa Valley’s most beloved boutique wineries with an unwavering track record of excellence – highly rated wines, hoards of Gold Medals, and reviews from all of the top industry periodicals. His winemaking style exudes elegance, and it comes through in each of his handcrafted wines.
Born in South Africa, Anthony Bell grew up living on a vineyard and winery that his dad managed. After high school, he traveled and worked at wineries in both Spain and France, and the spent a year’s duty in the South African Navy. In the early 1970’s, he entered Stellenbosch University in South Africa to follow through on his study of enology and winemaking. After graduating, Anthony came to the United States to earn his Masters degree in winemaking at the heralded UC Davis.
In 1979, with the help of one of his college professors, he found himself as Beaulieu Vineyards, hired on as their assistant winemaker. This move proved to be key for Anthony, for it was a Beaulieu that his wine career began to flourish. After twelve years at BV, moving from assistant winemaker to operations manager, to director of operations and winemaking, to vice president of production, and finally, to general manager, Anthony Bell and winegrower John Baritelle founded Bell Wine Cellars in 1991. John Baritelle is a long time friend of Anthony’s and for decades had supplied grapes for Beaulieu Vineyards. It is his vineyard that provided all the elements and laid the foundation for the Bell Wine Cellars Cabernets.
Today, Anthony Bell is known around the world for his accomplishments and dedication to the wine industry and we are proud to offer one of his latest achievements to our Platinum Wine Club members.
Dear Platinum Series Wine Club Member:
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It is with great pleasure that I offer you my 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, produced from grapes grown in John Baritelle's vineyard on the Rutherford Bench of the Napa Valley. Created from a special clone of Cabernet Sauvignon imported into California in the late 1800s, we refer to the vines as the Jackson Clone, named after the location of an abandoned experimental field station from which we selected the cuttings to plant this vineyard.
I believe that great wines are a true expression of the vineyard and the challenge as a winemaker is to bring to you the fruit yielded by a particular location. I focus on balance in the wine and with this in mind, produce wines that have great fruit on the nose and palate, and soft supple tannins, allowing for an exquisite balance between fruit, oak and tannins.
Bell Wine Cellars began producing wines in 1991. We produce 3,000 cases of wine annually. We are a small family-owned winery, committed to hand-crafting limited edition bottlings of extraordinary wines that best reflect the terroir of their vineyards and the care and passion of their growers. Next time you are in the Napa Valley take a small detour off the beaten path and experience the quiet, in the heart of the vineyard. Come with a picnic and enjoy the spectacular view from our shaded vineyard patio, which looks out over the vineyard to the Mayacamas range across the valley. If you let me know when you’re coming, I’ll warm up the large Italian hearthstone oven at the end of our patio, and be ready to produce the finest of fare.
We hope you enjoy our wine as much as we enjoy growing and making them.
Cheers!
Anthony Bell
Owner & Winemaker
