B E L L U S

The Brand
Bellus Wines is a new line of high-quality wines meant to empower those who are curious about wine to learn more about their own palate preferences. Special thanks to The Tory Burch Foundation for an inaugural partnership.

The Inspiration
Sommelier Jordan Salcito became motivated to create Bellus after countless conversations with restaurant guests and non-industry friends who expressed confusion and intimidation when ordering wine. Perceiving a void in the marketplace for a line of quality wines that represented a distinct sense of place and enabled people to learn about and afford quality wines as opposed to feeling intimidated by them, she decided to start Bellus. The wines are rooted in terroir, craftsmanship, empowerment and enjoyment.

The Inaugural Wine
The inaugural release, 2007 Girasole, is a Super-Tuscan red made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. It reflects the brand's philosophy of producing wines that embody a strong sense of place, are a versatile food pairing and are delicious on their own. Made from grapes grown entirely within Italy's storied Montalcino region, Girasole expresses the area's rustic elegance. Breezy hillsides, sunny climate and famous "gallestro soil" mixed with clay, are ideal for the three vines. Cabernet and Merlot provide notes of dark cherry fruit and a firm structure, Sangiovese contributes great acidity and flavors of tart cherry and roasted herbs. Minerality from the gallestro imparts a beautiful sense of place.

About Jordan Salcito
Bellus was inspired by Salcito's own journey in the wine world. As member of the elite rank of Advanced Sommeliers within the Court of Master Sommeliers, Salcito has spent nearly a decade in Manhattan's most established restaurants including as the wine director at Crown, Eleven Madison Park, Restaurant Daniel, Gilt at New York Palace, wd-50 and Nick & Toni's.

Salcito also has extensive winemaking experience. Since 2006 she has worked harvests at Domaines Dujac, De Montille, Roulot, du Comte Liger-Belair, de L'Arlot, and Comtes Lafon. She has also made wine at Casanuova delle Cerbaie estate in Montalcino since 2008.

The Label & Design
Bellus' label is meant to give people the necessary language to learn their own palate and be able to speak confidently about wine. The innovative design demystifies wine-industry terminology while simultaneously giving them tools to learn their own subtle likes and dislikes. Visual flavor icons highlight the wine's taste profile, with more prominent flavors, like cherry, on the left and more nuanced notes, like vanilla, on the right. Bellus' trademarked PALA-TABLE breaks down the wine structurally in wine terms that industry professionals use rating characteristics like acidity, body, tannins, oak and complexity. Bellus' fireworks logo bursting in the center represents the explosion of flavor and symbolizes the immediate emotional connection delicious wine instills upon first sip.

Click to enlarge

The Name:
Bellus means "beautiful" in Latin, the root language for all of the world's classic wine growing regions. "Girasole," Bellus' first release, means "sunflowers," in Italian and references those that blanket the Tuscan hills in summer. A sunflower is also the logo for the Tory Burch Foundation, which empowers female entrepreneurs domestically through micro-finance.

The Tory Burch Foundation
Tory Burch and the Tory Burch Foundation were strongly inspirational to Salcito when she first dreamed of founding Bellus Wines, and Burch has served as a mentor through Bellus' infancy. As a result a percentage of proceeds from every bottle of Girasole sold will be donated to the Tory Burch Foundation.

The Wines
Bellus prospers from deep relationships Salcito has developed with well-respected wineries, allowing her to deliver exceptional quality wine at surprisingly accessible price levels. Salcito partnered with Casanuova delle Cerbaie because she knows the land intimately. The estate is in the process of converting the vineyards to employ only biodynamic growing practices and the use of herbicides and pesticides are never permitted.

What's Next?
Next spring Salcito will release a 2011 Bourgogne Blanc (100% Chardonnay) from grapes grown in and around the famed villages of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. She will make wine with Alix de Montille, a close friend and winemaking mentor whose family has produced some of the best wines in Burgundy since the French Revolution.