Two Paddocks is a wine producer based in Central Otago,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. It is owned and operated by actor

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

History

In 1993, actor

established the Two Paddocks company with a planting of of Pinot Noir on a small vineyard at Gibbston, Central Otago. Alex Paddocks is a 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. In 2000, the company acquired Redbank Paddocks, a sheltered , 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 Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...

. In 2001, Two Paddocks acquired an interest in another

winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...

, The Central Otago Wine Company, with an approximate production of 3,000 cases of wine a year. The original vineyard, First Paddock, was augmented by two other small vineyards in the Alexandra district. After incorporating a second vineyard established by neighbouring film director

Roger Donaldson Roger Lindsey Donaldson (born 15 November 1945) is an Australian-born New Zealand film director, producer and writer whose films include the 1981 relationship drama '' Smash Palace'', and a run of titles shot in the United States, including t ...

, Neill changed to the current name. Donaldson eventually built another vineyard, Sleeping Dogs, named after the 1977 film, which had marked his directorial debut and Neill's first feature film. "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 Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. There are over 400 types of lavender worldwide with different scents and qualities. Two forms of lavender oil are distinguished, '' ...

and

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in ...

References

External links

Official site

Background information on Gibbston Valley vineyards
{{coord, -45.2198, 169.3027, region:NZ_type:adm1st, display=title Wineries of New Zealand Otago New Zealand brands

History

See also

References

External links