Two Paddocks is a wine producer based in Central Otago, New Zealand.^[1] It is owned and operated by actor Sam Neill.

History

In 1993, actor Sam Neill established the Two Paddocks company with a planting of 5 acres (2.0 ha) of Pinot Noir on a small vineyard at Gibbston, Central Otago.^[1][2][3]

Alex Paddocks is a 7-acre (2.8 ha) vineyard on a terrace above the Earnscleugh Valley under some rocky headlands. It was planted with Burgundian Pinot Noir vines (5, 6, 115) in 1998.^{[citation needed]}

In 2000, the company acquired Redbank Paddocks, a sheltered 60 acres (24 ha), also in the Earnscleugh Valley, which nestles between two rocky escarpments. It is planted with more Burgundian clones (777, 667, and 115) and some Riesling.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, Two Paddocks acquired an interest in another winery, The Central Otago Wine Company, with an approximate production of 3,000 cases of wine a year.^[4]

The original vineyard, First Paddock, was augmented^[when?] by two other small vineyards^[which?] in the Alexandra district. After incorporating a second vineyard established by neighbouring film director Roger Donaldson, Neill changed to the current name.^[5] Donaldson eventually built another vineyard, Sleeping Dogs, named after the 1977 film, which had marked his directorial debut and Neill's first feature film.^[6]

"The Last Chance" Pinot Noir is a single vineyard bottling from the Alex Paddocks plot, its first vintage in 2002. The company also produces the second label Picnic, largely with sourced fruit, with bottlings of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling varietals. Two Paddocks also grows medicinal and culinary herbs, such as lavender oil and saffron.^{[citation needed]}