Our Team
Bella Ridge Estate was solely a family operation for the first vintage or two but in more recent years we have been very fortunate to have a couple of wonderful non-family additions to our team! To Ian, who has been with us since very early on and is now almost family anyway and Patrick who has more recently joined the Bella Ridge team, we are very grateful. To Justin, Nick, Richard, Ben, Tomoko and Katherine who have helped us in the past – thanks!
ALON ARBEL
Alon was a disenchanted engineering student in his final year when, in 2000, Jodi decided (as wives do!) that winemaking was a much more appropriate career choice and enrolled him in winemaking. Jodi thought that it was just obvious after having spent several years collecting, drinking and talking about wine that he would be really good at it!
Originally from Israel, Alon came to Western Australia in search of a strong easterly sea breeze as a keen windsurfer back in the early 1990s. Following a stint working overseas, Alon and Jodi returned and settled in Perth in 1993. It was only at this time that Alon was introduced to the world of wine, thanks to some of Jodi’s wine admiring relatives!
As owner and winemaker of a small business that started out as 20 acres of vines and a couple of run-down sheds, Alon is, in addition to the crafter of BellaRidge Estate wines - a ‘jack of all trades’ embarking on duties that never featured in the role of a winemaker when studying at University. Fortunately Alon has adapted particularly well and is managing to make some pretty fine wines along the way!
Jodi Arbel
With original qualifications in physical education, Jodi worked in the area of health promotion and public health for many years and is utilising these skills (plus a few more newly acquired ones!) to carry out the administration, finance and marketing aspects of the business, around the two other Arbels : Ella and Tal.
Although getting easier as Ella and Tal get older (embarking on a brand new business just three months after starting a family had its challenges!), Jodi feels very fortunate to have entered the world of wine and to be successfully combining (most of the time!) ‘family life’ with rewarding, challenging and flexible employment.
It goes without saying however, both Alon and Jodi are eager for Ella and Tal to become proficient in the use of secateurs!
Frank and Lois Pass
It only seemed fair that Jodi’s parents came out of retirement to help… after all they discovered the property!
With no previous experience in farming, several years on Frank and Lois look like they were born to it. Well where to start? They’ve been involved from the very beginning and assist in the vineyard (Lois has even completed a Certificate in Viticulture) and winery with anything and everything – plus of course looking after their grandchildren allowing us to go out and enjoy the fruits of our labour occasionally!
Frank has even made the transition from beer to wine - Bella Ridge of course! Lois is still a work in progress.
Patrick Ferry
Patrick is a recent addition to the Bella Ridge team. Originally from the land of the Kiwi, Patrick flew the coop and landed on our sunny shores in 2014 after completing his viticultural and winemaking studies in NZ. Patrick is very versatile and assists Alon in all facets of the winery as well as helping out in the vineyard and assisting Frank with any other bits and pieces that need doing – which is usually a lot in our case!
Ian Price
Despite managing his own horticultural business and having limited time, Ian’s passion for ‘all things green’ is put to work in the vineyard as well as helping out in the winery…. now, just enough to get an invite to the Bella Ridge Christmas Party!
With us from pretty much the beginning following the completion of viticultural studies where he met Lois and was introduced to Bella Ridge Estate, Ian is now pretty much part of the family. We are very grateful for Ian’s commitment, hard work and his great sense of humour. We hope the Christmas Party is a draw-card for Ian for many more years to come!
Polly
All good wineries have one and this is Bella Ridge’s! Polly joined the team in 2006 and is now an integral part of the operation. You will usually find her perched at the helm of the fork-lift ... or on the back of the four-wheeler ... depending on the position of the sun and who is the designated driver.