TWO PADDOCKS

Does an A-list actor make A-list wines? In this case, yes. Central Otago’s Two Paddocks winery is neither the oldest nor the largest in the region, but it seems that there is never enough of their product to satisfy the many aficionados.

One senses immediately that this enterprise means more to its owner, Sam Neill, than just finding something to do during the Interval. What began merely as a mild urge to provide family and friends with a reasonably decent quaffer has evolved into an overriding desire to create the world’s best Pinot Noir. Aim high, we say.

Dean Shaw

One of New Zealand's top winemakers, Dean very nearly had a career in the S.A.S. Well, not really. We made that bit up. The S.A.S. bit. Dean began shaping his Central Otago winemaking career in 2003, arriving at Domain Road for vintage. Widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s finest winemakers, and armed with a post-graduate degree in Viticulture and Wine Science, Dean refined his craft alongside some of the industry’s most respected names, including Quartz Reef and the legendary Rudi Bauer, before becoming the quiet force behind every bottle at Two Paddocks. His winemaking philosophy is refreshingly hands-off. Wild yeasts, minimal intervention, and a belief that the vineyard should do most of the talking. The result is wines with honesty, individuality and a very clear sense of place. Unmistakably Central Otago and unmistakably Two Paddocks.