Sam Neill

Proprietor

Also itinerant actor. Long standing interest in wine, particularly red wine, which accounts for his rude good health. Very proud of everything about Two Paddocks, and will bore you to death on the subject if you give him a chance. Don't. Has visions of a vast Two Paddocks Empire, but is usually better the next day. Plays cricket badly, also the ukulele. Pretends to be a fly fisherman. Not related to Sam Hunt. Helps provide focus for the talents of New Zealand and Australian filmmakers (see Huntaway Films).

Sam is an active proponent of protecting and preserving New Zealand's precious natural resources. He is a member of the Sustainability Council of New Zealand, a trustee of the National Parks and Conservation Foundation and a Patron for Waitaki First.

Noriko Watanabe

C.E.O. Lavender and Saffron Division

Closely related to proprietor. Top Hollywood make-up artist and Top Chef also. Good looking sort.

Dean Shaw

Lead Winemaker

One of New Zealand's top winemakers, Dean very nearly had a career in the S.A.S.! Well, not really, we just made that up. The S.A.S. bit. See more about the hirsute and encyclopedically knowledgeable Dean in the Winemaker section.

Richard Flatman

Vineyard Manager

Richard is our head honcho in the vineyards. Like Mark he is affable and engaging, and a tremendous enthusiast for viticulture and our beautiful vineyards.

Greener than the Hulk (but better looking) Richard is heading Two Paddocks into the world of organics. We’ve always believed in growing the most healthy wine possible, but we reckon in a year or two we’ll be certifiably organic.

Richard comes from Kawerau Vineyards (the pioneers in organics in Central Otago) and before that Delegats and BRL Hardy in Australia. Surprisingly highly qualified for a bloke who looks like the bloke who lives next to the bloke who farms next door. If you follow us.

Read more about Richard in the Vineyard Manager section.

Mark Field

Manager

Mark comes to us after years in the hospitality industry, and he has the complexion to prove it. Mark now handles sales, clients, business affairs, kitchen sinks – you name it, and Mark can do it. Frighteningly competent. Mark comes directly from Waitiri Creek Wines. Actually, not exactly direct; two refreshment stops at the Cardrona pub delayed his start at T.P. by a couple of weeks, but that’s all behind us now and Mark is now well in charge.

Mark is transforming Two Paddocks into the amazingly professional outfit we’d always imagined!

Larry McKenna

Vineyard Consultant

For the last two decades the maestro of New Zealand Pinot Noir, former Martinborough Vineyards winemaker Larry McKenna, has given us invaluable advice as consultant to Two Paddocks. He brings his expertise not only to the winery, but also to the vineyard. He is, in addition, excellent company over a good meal and a bottle or three of our excellent Pinot and we look forward to his visits down south. Now has his own Escarpment Wine - another wonderful label.

Brian Croot

Our most senior and revered team member, Brian has been with us for longer than anyone can remember. In spite of his obvious youth and general sprightliness, Brian was previously a farmer from Southland having taken up a landholding circa 1898. As a consequence Brian knows more about farming, more about fixing machinery, more about … er … animal husbandry, horticulture etc. than the combined staff of Lincoln College. He is a source of wisdom and knowledge, and a mentor to junior staff. In a line-up of villains and wastrels, Brian is the only certified Good Guy!

Mike Wing

A Man of Many Titles

Richard’s right hand man, “Number Two”, “Assistant Vineyard Manager”, “the Loosey” (a reference to his rugby position for Clyde – Mike is actually a lock, but refuses to go near the tight), “dickhead” (a term of endearment from Nella, the girlfriend), etc.

Mike has been invaluable to Two Paddocks for three years now; a tireless worker, with superb initiative and a comprehensive knowledge of viticulture. He is also very well liked, and a good team man. Our wines wouldn’t be half as good and our vineyards wouldn’t look nearly as good as they do if not for Mike.

At least, that’s what we tell the proprietor.

Darryle Tamati

Darryle briefly considered a career as a Wall Street Banker. However a glimpse of Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas in red braces took the gloss of the ambition, and he turned instead to greener pastures.

He has joined us after twenty five years in grounds maintenance in Dunedin. Darryle comes from the famous rugby league Tamati family. However here in Earnscleugh, the nearest rugby league side is across the alps, so he turns out for Clyde (Rugby Union) and at 48 is easily the oldest winger in New Zealand rugby, if not the world.

Nathan Corlett

Nathan has moved up from lettuces in Levin to grapes in Earnscleugh. A wise move indeed. Nathan is our main man on the tractor, although he’s wise enough to defer to Brian who’s been driving tractors since they first appeared before the First World War. Nathan looks good in a suit on Sundays. Unlike the rest of the heathen horde that clutter up the joint round here. We ask him to put in a good word on our behalf, when we remember.

Dennis Hearfield

Designer

Since Hearfield is a very old friend of our proprietor, some have said his position as graphic designer supremo is a blatant and disgraceful example of cronyism at Two Paddocks.

This is an outrageous libel that we vigorously deny. It is, in fact, Hearfield's lifelong devotion to wine and good living that made him our obvious and first choice. (Very good living actually). His intimate study of wine labels for instance is a case in point -- some of us remember with admiration times in which Dennis would selflessly devote an entire night to at least a dozen different bottles, and wake the next morning only inches away from his favourite design.

Hearfield studied at the distinguished University of Canterbury Art School. He is chiefly remembered there for his playing of the jug in the legendary Band of Hope Jug Band (along with several other cronies of the proprietor) This required no musicality at all, but a great set of lungs. Again, just the man for the job.

Since that time Hearfield has been at the top of his game in Sydney, a career of such renown it needs no elaboration here. He is so often seen at some of our favourite restaurants that occasionally rumours surface that there may be more than one Hearfield, and that either he is one of triplets or some mad scientist has cloned our friend. Not a happy thought.

He is unaccountably irresistibly attractive to women, something we at Two Paddocks try not to resent. He in fact lives with one Sydney's great beauties, who sadly prefers to remain anonymous on these pages.

It was Dennis' idea that we use a different flower on our labels every year. We love his work, and we are gratified that our bottles are not only immediately recognizable but also look completely different from anything else on the market. Once a year when the new label arrives the collective cheer goes up at T.P.H.Q.- "On yer Den!" This roughly translates as "Excellent work again, maestro."

Bridget Wolter

Executive Director ,Central Otago Wine Company

Miraculously still in her early 20's Bridget provides, among many other qualities, the glamour in the Two Paddocks team. Just as well, as we are desperately short of it otherwise. Educated above and beyond the demands of brain surgery at St Hilda's College, Dunedin's exclusive academy for well bred girls, Bridget emerged as a leading contender for Southland's Debutante of the Year in 1985. However turning her back on the dizzying height of Invercargill society, Bridget left for years of gruelling study at Canterbury's prestigious Lincoln College where New Zealand's Finest famously pursue the agricultural sciences with almost monk-like dedication and sobriety, as well as the dreaming spires of Manawatu's Massey University. Soon thereafter, marriage to Mike Wolter brought her to Central Otago where Bridget and Mike undertook several milestone enterprises, including design and maintenance of New Zealand's finest garden at Tematakouru in the Wakatipu Basin.

Bridget now runs the Central Otago Wine Company with both iron fist and infinite charm. She rigorously refuses to tolerate anything second rate or slack and is entirely responsible for the dynamic and efficient organisation CO Wine Co has become. We at Two Paddocks are both awed and gratified to have her on the team. And we promise to be good.

Neil Gaudin

Executive Director, Central Otago Wine Company

Neil is an old pal of Mike Wolter, and an accountant to boot. Also enjoys another life as Dunedin's fashion guru and style leader. Party animal and tireless clubber, Neil is handy at vintage time as DJ for C.O. Wine Co, the country's loudest winery. Respect! Has a vast wine cellar, but prefers Two Paddocks above all else. And who can blame him for that.

Felicity Oxnevad

Accounts and Discipline

Felicity, another neighbour and friend of the proprietor, is not only our resident whiz with figures, she also runs our glamorous and wildly successful ski team. Two Paddocks has had two great seasons at Coronet Peak, and confidently expects to represent N.Z. at the next Olympics. Felicity, like Bridget, brings much needed glamour to T.P, and is good at getting us to keep our socks up. Has learnt to avoid pointing out to the proprietor the blatant noncommercial nature of the T.P. enterprise, as he would sooner not know. Much feared tennis player (serve recorded at 134 m.p.h.).

Karen Mitchell

Assistant to Proprietor, T. P.

A whizz with the zimmerframe, Karen is all purpose supernumerary to Two Paddocks and to the veteran proprietor (now sometimes known as “veteran” actor; we assume, as in the car world this means older than “vintage”)

Karen has put her years as jetsetter and supermodel behind her, and now is concentrating on the world of commerce and entertainment. Plays squash, tennis, netball, shotput, trapeze, basejumping and ice hockey. Has recently retired from representative rugby pretty much unhurt. Also has political aspirations, but keeps them to herself.

Cathy Scott

Webmaster

More glamour, and more brains than you can shake a stick at. Virtually helped Al Gore to invent the Internet. Film buff; knows more about the French New Wave than Cahiers du Cinema. Ubernerd aside, Cathy is an outdoors freak and is often found astride the tundra in far flung parts of the world. Has climbed 7 of the big 10. Often seen at Hollywood premieres in Yves St. Laurent. Has other computer duties, but none of us at T.P. can quite grasp what they are. Enjoys a large fan base.

Fire

Company Dog