Winemaker Notes
Winemaker Ross Wallace is a 1999 graduate of Fresno State University with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutritional Science—Enology Option. Today, a 15-year Napa resident, he comes to Bello from tenures as winemaker at Hunnicutt Wine Company and cult-favorite Bryant Family Vineyards in St. Helena, as well as positions at other well-regarded Napa Valley wineries including Laird Family Estate, Nickel and Nickel Vineyards, Grgich Hills Estate, and Groth Vineyards as well as Craggy Range Winery in New Zealand.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.