Located within a lime quarry in the Weka Pass, North Canterbury, Bell Hill vineyard is modelled on the high density plantings of vineyards in Burgundy, France.
The Quarry Block, which was the first to be planted, has 9,259 vines/ha, the steep, hillside Shelf Block has 11,111 vines/ha, the Limeworks Block has 9,090 vines/ha and the Steps has 12,500 vines/ha. The Roadblock, Slope and Shelf West Blocks were planted in 2008-2009 and have 11,363 vines/ha. In 2015 we purchased The North Arm and through 2020-2022 we planted four more blocks. Anchorstone was planted in 2020 with 10,633 vines/ha, Big Glory was planted in 2020 & 2021 with 10,633 vines/ha. Faith, Hope and Charity was planted in 2021 & 2022 with some higher density vines, 18,181 vines/ha and some lower density, 12,987 vines/ha. Dynamite Point was planted in 2021 with 11,363 vines/ha. We now have just over 36,000 vines planted.
Bell Hill’s management style has a focus on traditional techniques and a high level of human input to ensure that the vines achieve their potential. Our vineyard is BioGro certified (fully) from March 1, 2015.
DR P.J. TONKIN’S SOIL SURVEY OF BELL HILL VINEYARD 2003
GEOLOGICAL AND LANDSCAPE SETTING
The limestone is inclined (dipping) to the west and north and comprises an upper stronger crystallised limestone with a wide fracture spacing, grading to a lower, weaker, finely fractured chalky limestone. The limestones in turn grade to the underlying Waipara Formation which comprises olive yellow to green unconsolidated sands, consolidated sandstones, siltstones and mudstones. The occurrence of these contrasting beds in the Waipara Formation is not predictable from the surface features. Calcareous mudstones (marls) also occur in the transition between the Amuri and Waipara Formations.
The olive yellow to green colours in the lower part of the chalky Amuri Formation and in the underlying Waipara Formation is commonly related to the presence of glauconitic silt to sand sized aggregates of potassium and iron rich mica clays. These aggregates break down on weathering to produce clay loam or clay textured soils. The mica clays include smectite, which if present in sufficient quantities cause the soil mass to shrink and swell on wetting and drying.
ANTHROPIC SOILS
A direct result of earlier use of the upper part of the northerly aspect as a lime quarry resulted in a cut into the original slope and the distribution of side castings on the slope below the quarry.
The presence of side castings has modified the original soil and the reformed Anthropic soils that have no formal Soil Series name.
WAIKARI SOILS
The unifying feature of the Waikari soils is the presence of; strong limestone, or firm to weak chalky limestone, or calcareous mudstone (marl) below either the A or Bw or Bt horizons where the latter are present. This implies that the deeper subsoils would have an alkaline pH, and are likely to contain active lime.
MELANIC SOILS
(Revised New Zealand soil classification, Hewitt, 1993)
TIMPENDEAN SOILS
The unifying feature of the Timpendean soils is the presence of; olive yellow to green coloured glauconitic sediments of the Waipara Formation below the A and Bw, Bt and Bwk or 2CRk horizons. These sediments vary from unconsolidated sandstones (loamy sands and sands) to slightly calcareous mudstones (marls) and non-calcareous mudstones.
