Australians and New Zealanders are in mourning following the death of beloved actor, author and winemaker Sam Neill.
While he was renowned for movie roles, ranging from Jurassic Park to The Dish, Neill’s passion for acting was rivalled by his enthusiasm for making pinot noir.
In 1993, Neill bought two hectares of land in Gibbston, Central Otago in the deep south of New Zealand and planted five acres of pinot noir.
“I wanted to produce a good pinot noir that would, at the very least, be enjoyed by my family and friends,” the actor recalled on the Two Paddocks website.
“Frankly, my friends will pretty much drink anything, so this didn’t seem too hard. To our great surprise, our first vintage in 1997 was much better than we hoped, in spite of a difficult growing season.
“1998 was a more distinguished vintage, and in 1999 we were astounded to produce a pinot that was, we thought, world class. Here was a wine of considerable complexity with an amazing nose, delicious fruit and a good lengthy finish.
“Since that original release in 1997, with each successive year we have produced a pinot noir (sometimes four or five pinot noirs) that have done us proud and are, to be frank, too good to be wasted on our friends. They still somehow manage to bludge a lot off us, and that, combined with The Proprietor’s generous thirst, accounts for the occasional scarcity of Two Paddocks Pinot.”
That original vineyard was augmented by three other small vineyards, sited in the Alexandra and Bannockburn districts of Central Otago.
Two Paddocks has gone on to become a certified organic winery and an award winner. Its Fusilier Bannockburn 2015 scored 95 out of 100 in Wine Spectator US, while The Fusilier Pinot Noir 2014 was named one of the top 50 “Most Exciting Wines of the World of 2016” in the UK’s Decanter magazine.
“It’s good that we’re being taken seriously, critically,” Neill told MindFOOD in 2023. “The problem with being an actor-slash- wine producer is that people might more easily hear of your wine, but they might not take it quite as seriously as the wine deserves.”
“When you’re getting 95 points from Wine Spectator in New York, then you know [you’re being taken seriously] … often, as is the way, it takes an overseas critic to recognise you.”
He also noted that he’d probably reached the point in life where he’d rather get good reviews of his wines than for his acting.
“I care more about the wine reviews than acting reviews. I try not to read those,” he said.
Tributes have flowed on social media. Halliday Wine Companion said: “Halliday is saddened to hear of the passing of Sam Neill. Best known for his esteemed acting career, which spanned five decades, Sam was also a passionate wine lover and was the proprietor of revered Central Otago label Two Paddocks.
“We extend our condolences to Sam’s family, friends, colleagues and the team at Two Paddocks Vineyard. Vale, Sam.”
Wine columnist Jeni Port said: “Deeply saddened by today’s news of the sudden passing of Sam Neill. Loved chatting with the man about wine, especially pinot noir, about politics and Central Otago & just about anything really … A great actor, winemaker and all round human being.”
Wine critic James Suckling said: “Sad to hear the news of the death of actor Sam Neill. He was such a lovely human being and a fine winemaker at Two Paddocks. I will always think of him enjoying his fantastic pinot noirs from Central Otago, New Zealand. I used to drink wine with him in London in the 1980s. Rest in peace, Sam.”
Last week, Neill was named one of five New Zealand Wine Fellows, an honour recognising individuals whose leadership, innovation and contribution have helped shape the country’s wine industry. He was due to be recognised at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Celebration next month.