On July 13, "Jurassic Park" star Sam Neill died at the age of 78 from pneumonia. Since the news broke, especially his fellow countrymen have been turning to wine from his winery. At the Liquorland retail chain, the Pinot Noir from Two Paddocks ranked 423rd on the sales list in the week before Neill's death, and just a few days later it was number five. At the same time, sales increased by 1,828 percent, as the company with 175 locations told the "Guardian".
Neill had been operating his winery in Central Otago since 1993, producing Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Rosé. His spokesperson Philip Grenz had asked mourners to donate to the causes most important to the actor instead of sending flowers.
Sold out on the day the news broke
Smaller retailers are also struggling to keep up. The Wellington specialty store Regional Wines had sold out its inventory on the day of his death, and gourmet retailer Moore Wilson's sold five times the usual quantity. Manager Amanda Thompson told the "Guardian" about customers who had planned a movie night with Neill's films and a glass of his Pinot Noir.
Others stocked up their cellars, and cafés and restaurants wrote the wine on the board as the daily recommendation. The online retailer The Winery New Zealand completely sold out several Two Paddocks lines, with orders coming mainly from the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
"He really would have been thrilled"
At Two Paddocks itself, the sales wave was unexpected. "It was unexpected and at the same time a wonderful tribute to Sam Neill's wine and the impact he had on so many people," said General Manager Jacqui Murphy to the "New Zealand Herald". Messages arrived from all over the world, many from people who had once visited the estate. "So many people want to buy a bottle of Sam's Two Paddocks and open it with friends and family to toast him."
That was exactly what Neill had always been about, Murphy says. The actor had advocated for wine with food and in company. "He believed we should drink less, but better." She attributes the ability to meet the demand at all to the grown distribution network. Her conclusion about the reactions of recent days: "He really would have been thrilled to see this."
Donations for the fight against a gold mine
Sam Neill's death also led to increased donations for an initiative: Sustainable Tarras, which wants to prevent a planned open-pit gold mine in the Dunstan Mountains, received more than 20,000 New Zealand dollars in a short time. Neill had joined the group because the project is set to be built just a few kilometers from his vineyard. The mine would be the end for the region, he had warned.
His name appears repeatedly in the comments accompanying the donations. "For Sam. We will continue fighting in your name," wrote one supporter. Chairwoman Suze Keith called the actor a knight in shining armor. His commitment had given the group access to experts. The occasion remains bitter. "It is so tragic to have lost him," she told the "Guardian".
The Dunstan Hospital Foundation in Central Otago is also recording donations from many countries. Neill had been cared for at Dunstan Hospital during his cancer treatment. General Manager Hayley Anderson reports personal messages about what the actor meant to the donors and what role the hospital plays for the region.
