Established by Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen in 1997. Located within a lime quarry in the Weka Pass, North Canterbury, the Bell Hill vineyard is divided into the following blocks – the Quarry, the Shelf, the Limeworks, the Steps, the Roadblock, the Slope and the Westbank – and 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 Westbank Blocks were planted in 2008-2009 and have 11,363 vines/ha. We now have just under 22,500 vines planted.
A decade ago Tony and his daughter Kate stumbled upon an abandoned vineyard at the foothills of Mount Brown, in the western side of the Waipara Valley. The stony ground with waist high weeds presented an irresistible challenge. The small, sheltered site has since proved perfectly suited to Pinot Noir, producing award-winning wines after only three vintages.
After that the hunt was on to find an equally good site for our whites which we did in 2006. The flat, stony Limeloader block was planted with mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, along with Riesling and Tempranillo.
The wines of Pyramid Valley are born in the dramatic limestone and clay-derived soils and slopes of our Waikari farm in North Canterbury. These wines are complemented by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a second estate vineyard in Lowburn, Central Otago. Together they produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for our Botanicals Collection. These vineyards and a collection of exceptional growers in North Canterbury, Central Otago and Marlborough, are home to our Pastures Collection Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The Colours Collection celebrates the vanguard culture that rests within Pyramid Valley with three wines – a Sauvignon+, Orange and Rosé that celebrate the spirit of Pyramid Valley: nature first, pushing the boundaries, vitality.
Farmed with organic or biodynamic methods and following natural principles in our winemaking with the use of indigenous yeasts, natural fining and minimal, if any, filtration, Pyramid Valley creates wine that breathes of its place and tastes of nowhere else on earth.
