Sir Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks sales surge after death

Joelle Thomson

Canvas·

1 Aug, 2026 01:00 AM3 mins to read

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Sir Sam Neill on his Bannockburn vineyard during wine harvest. Photo / George Heard

As floods of affection poured in following news of Sir Sam Neill’s passing on July 13, sales of his Two Paddocks wines saw an extraordinary 1828% increase, according to one major retailer. However, there’s more to come, with new vintages of Two Paddocks wines being released, Joelle Thomson writes.

“With typical foresight, Sam had already instigated plans to ensure the continued success of his Two Paddocks wine business for decades to come. Sam wanted wine to be part of his legacy,” Two Paddocks general manager Jacqui Murphy says.

More details will be shared later, but for now, it’s business as usual (well, almost) for Murphy and the Central Otago vineyard and winemaking team.

The team is releasing new wines in the Two Paddocks range. These include, among others, the 2025 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir (bright, fruit-forward Pinot Noir blend of grapes grown on Two Paddocks vineyards across the region); the new 2025 Two Paddocks Schatzi Riesling (a medium‑sweet newcomer with 20g per litre of residual sugar and a name that is German for “sweetheart”). And the 2023 Two Paddocks Last Chance – a lively, bright and energetic Pinot Noir.

The Last Chance Vineyard is one of the most spectacular – and bitingly cold – plots of land in Central Otago. It was planted in 1998 on a ridgeline at the southernmost edge of Central, on a site that encapsulates the challenges and joys of this magnificent region, with stunning rockfaces, views and frost risk. Wines made from the Last Chance Vineyard are typically lighter in colour but have depth and vibrancy, thanks to the crisp chill of the mornings during ripening, which allows the grapes to retain the hallmark cool climate acidity.