As a Harvard educated Economist, Kelby James Russell made the unusual transition to wine in pursue of his passion. He also brought with him his deep love for music as a way to inspire his winemaking approach. For well over a decade, he patiently perfected his art while working at another Red Newt Cellars. Finally in 2023, Kelby and his also-winemaker wife Julia (they met while both interning at Fox Run Vineyards in 2009), embarked on the adventure of their dreams and launched Apollo’s Praise. The philosophy in Kelby’s and Julia’s words: “The Best Wines are Art. They are an expression of culture and speak to where they come from, when they come from, and who they come from.”
The name of the brand, Apollo’s Praise, is a reference to the iconic song called ‘Glorious Apollo’ that Kelby performed with the Harvard Glee Club as an undergraduate studying Orchestra Management. The name encapsulates his passion for music, wine, and the Finger Lakes region where he was raised.
Label art for the bottles is done by artist Cristi Lopez, who regularly holds art exhibitions in Chicago and currently has a residency at Lillstreet Art in Chicago.