Tim Bell, winemaker at Dry Creek Vineyard, has worked with a wide range of grape varieties and wine styles in Napa Valley, Sonoma, and the Central Coast: still wine, sparkling, dessert, even Kosher.  Tim’s creativity in blending and extensive experience shaping wine quality in the vineyard made him a great choice for the winemaking team at Dry Creek Vineyard starting in 2011.  He graduated with honors in winemaking at U.C., Davis, learning the intricacies of wine chemistry and microbiology that inform his stylistic choices in creating delicious blends.   With this education, and formative experiences in a previous career selling wine, Bell arrived at a balanced, complex winemaking style all his own.

Hands-on cellar work at premium California wineries led Bell to the historic Freemark Abbey Winery where, within three months, Tim was making winemaking decisions and thriving.  He worked with fruit from exceptional vineyards, such as Bosché, once called one of the ten best Cabernet vineyards in California. Freemark was steeped in Napa Valley tradition, but it also gave Tim the chance to carefully move the house style in a new and more modern direction.

Becoming Director of Winemaking at Kunde Family Estate in 2006 gave Tim the opportunity to use all of his skills and experience to take on a new challenge of elevating the quality and public perception of their Cabernets and old-vine Zinfandels.  His first two vintages showed dramatic improvements  and   gained  critical acclaim.    Tim’s  work

there broadened his winemaking experience tremendously.  He used 20 different grape varieties to produce 26 different and unique wines.  As winemaker for this 700-acre estate with distinct and varied meso-climates, Bell honed his skills in shaping wine quality in the vineyard.

Away from the winery, Tim spends time outdoors with his family as much as he can, usually somewhere involving bodies of water.  His other interests include music of all kinds and good food (and wine!). Weekends often find him grilling the tastiest burgers on the west coast.

“As I’ve tasted at the great wineries of California and France, I’ve discovered that the finest wines are from those places with authenticity, with heart and soul,” says Bell.  “It’s an approach that I bring to every wine I touch at Dry Creek Vineyard.”

Nova Perrill, who joined Dry Creek Vineyard in July 2008, is an integral part of the winemaking team.  From lab management to cellar supervision, Nova ensures that each and every Dry Creek Vineyard wine is held to the highest standards.

Nova had no ties to the wine industry but recognized that it fitted his talents for creativity and hard work. He earned his degree in ecology and systematic biology from Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo.  Upon graduation he decided to go back to school for a Master’s degree in viticulture and enology from Cal-Poly.  It was then that he discovered the world of winemaking. 

Nova’s first 4 years of experience came as the assistant winemaker and viticulturalist at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.  Working with small batches of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, Nova accumulated an impressive list of highly rated wine from one of the more prestigious properties in all of California. 

Nova owes his foundation of knowledge to those first 4 years of work. However, he recognized that being a complete winemaker required more than just the ability to make ultra premium boutique wines.  Dry Creek Vineyard offered him the opportunity to produce the highest value wines possible at one the states most recognized names.