The Wine Company You Might Not Have Known Sam Neill Owns
Celebrity-owned restaurants are becoming more popular, and have been in the news as of late thanks to a number of viral TikTok reviews. While some of the eateries and alcohol chains linked to Hollywood's rich and famous are well known — like Robert De Niro's Nobu – others are a little more undercover, such as the winery owned by one famous New Zealander.
Sam Neill might be most known for his role as Jurassic Park's iconic paleontologist, Dr. Alan Grant, but he's also the proprietor of New Zealand's Two Paddocks winery. Neill's winery actually consists of four separate vineyards, the first of which was established in 1993. Having four vineyards allows Neill and his team of horticulturists and expert winemakers to create a wide variety of wines that are sold all over the world. It also allows him to dabble in other areas of agriculture, such as livestock farming and lavender cultivation.
Sam Neill has been in the wine business for over 30 years
Unlike other celebrities whose alcohol businesses seem to spring up out of the blue, Two Paddocks has a long history. Neill's winery has been in operation for over 30 years but his family's involvement in the alcohol industry goes back even further. According to an interview, Neill's family history in the wine industry spans over 150 years, notes Food & Wine. Given his heritage, it's no surprise that Neill takes such pride in the work he does at his winery, "my wine life is something else. I'll leave behind a legacy, and that's an achievement. I'm quietly proud of that", the actor told magazine North & South.
While Two Paddocks produces many types of wines, Pinot Noir seems to be a variety Neill is most fond of, given the fact that all of the actor's four vineyards grow Pinot grapes. In fact, Two Paddocks started as a way to create a Pinot Noir that his friends and loved ones would enjoy, according to the winery's website. It's clear that Neill's Pinot Noir has admirers beyond just the actor's kin, with Two Paddock's 2019 variety receiving a gold award by master sommelier, Cam Douglas.