Established by Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen in 1997, Bell Hill Vineyard in the Weka Pass, North Canterbury, is an area layered with history. Bell Hill itself, so named for its bell-like shape on its southern side, was first surveyed in 1917 by Charles Trounce who went on to establish a lime quarry that operated until the late 1930s.
However the history of the area goes back much further than that. Maori first explored Weka Pass around 1000 years ago, when the area was still forested and rich in birdlife. A large overhanging limestone shelter in the pass was used as a temporary overnight camp and early Maori rock art decorates its walls.
A small, spring-fed stream that runs through Bell Hill Vineyard reveals an even earlier history. In May 2001 a large fossil deposit was discovered in an area where the stream crosses a patch of soft clay. The clay is thixotropic, which means that the more an animal struggles in it, the softer and stickier it becomes. The high lime (carbonate) content of the clay also helped preserve the bones, many of which are between 1000-2000 years old.
The remains of 19 species of native bird have been identified in the Bell Hill Vineyard deposit, including the giant Haast’s Eagle (Hieraaetus moorei), the giant harrier hawk (Circus eylesi) and all four of the species of moa present in the lowlands of Canterbury (the Giant Moa, the Eastern Moa, the Stout-legged Moa and the Heavy-footed Moa).
The same unique, lime-rich soil that has safeguarded a snapshot of the early North Canterbury environment now nurtures the vines of Bell Hill Vineyard, helping to form the distinct character of Bell Hill’s acclaimed Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

First Ever Promotion to 5 Stars - Bell Hill Vineyard
We are proud to announce the first ever promotion to 5 stars!  Bell Hill Vineyard joins Ata Rangi, Felton Road and Mt Difficulty at the pinnacle of our classification.  Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen's North Canterbury vineyard is the first outside of Martinborough and Central Otago to achieve this status.  North Canterbury has now cemented its reputation as a hotbed of some of the finest Pinot Noir south of the equator.
Announcing the Fourth Great New Zealand Pinot Noir Classification 2011, Matthews Jukes and Tyson Stelzer, Taste 2011