Bell Hill Vineyard, Chardonnay, Canterbury, New Zealand ***On Allocation***, 2019

Producer Profile

Bell Hill Vineyard is a boutique winery situated in the Weka Pass area of North Canterbury, New Zealand.

Established in 1997 by Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen, the vineyard occupies a former limestone quarry, which imparts unique characteristics to its wines. Known for their elegance, complexity, and longevity. The Pinot Noir exhibits layers of ripe red and dark fruits with fine tannins, while the Chardonnay offers flinty complexity and a tight structure that evolves beautifully with age.

Viticulture

The Bell Hill Chardonnay is a blend of the Shelf, Roadblock and Limeworks parcels.

Winemaking

All the fruit was crushed before pressing, followed by 12 months in French oak (predominantly 1- to 3-year-old wood), 7 months in tank and then bottled.

Tasting Note

Bright yellow fruits and lifted white florals lead, underpinned by wet stone nuances. With time, the aromatics become more restrained, revealing flinty, mineral notes. The palate is tactile and saline, with growing tension and acid focus. As it evolves, it gains texture and layers, showing white stone fruits, a hint of lemon meringue, and a refined, linear flow with elegant length and restraint.

Food Matching

An ideal match would be pan-seared hapuku (groper) with a lemon beurre blanc, accompanied by grilled fennel and a cauliflower purée