As it had been 12 years since he planted truffles, sourced from Invermay, below a specially grown hazelnut grove, he had just about given up finding what some call ''earth's black gold''.
Last year the truffle dogs failed to find any of the fungus, despite testing the previous year showing it was present in the grove.
So he did not even go to Bannockburn when the truffle dog and its handler did their rounds of the truffiere this month.
Then he got the phone call saying the dog had found truffles - 502g of Perigord black truffle.
''I was very pleased,'' he said.
His first meal was an omelette made from eggs which had been stored with the truffles so their fragrance could infuse them.
''It really takes on the taste.''
The couple then went back to the vineyard last weekend with their own truffle dog (a Lagotto Romagnolo) Rissa, who sniffed out another 600g of the delicacy.
Planting the truffles in 2003 was a ''gamble'' as they had not been grown so far south, Mr Keillor said.
He and wife Mirani own Black Quail vineyard in Central Otago and are now looking to extend the truffle side of their business, having proved it can be done.
Canterbury Truffles' website says New Zealand black truffles can fetch between $3000 and $3500 a kilogram.
They believe they are the southern-most black truffle growers in the world (there are white truffles growing further south) and had shared their bounty with good friends, family and supporters, as well as Carrick winery for its Bastille Day luncheon and Millbrook Estate, a wine customer.
The Perigord black truffle, a melanosporum fungus, fruits from June to August about 10cm below ground on the roots of the host tree.
However, the science behind the most perfect conditions for their growth and harvesting was still a mystery, Mr Keillor said.
''There is mystery, folklore and science around the factors needed to stimulate fruiting. This year the stars were aligned for us. It's a satisfying and exciting time and is yet another first for the region.''
In a symbiotic relationship, the hazelnut host trees provide the necessary conditions for the truffle to grow and the truffles help the hazelnut trees.
