Sam Neill’s face is known to most, even if his name is not. He is New Zealand’s most well-known film actor and is a part of the New Zealand wine/movie fraternity that includes Michael Seresin and Roger Donaldson. Sam’s wine story began in the early ‘90s when he started a small winery in Gibbston Valley in Central Otago. The famously super-southern region has seen incredible growth (and increasing international attention for its pinots in particular), in its wine industry over the last couple of decades.

Sam’s wines have been a part of PUBLIC’s story before, but they have been unavailable in the US for several years and we are thrilled to have the wines back at PUBLIC this month.  We begin, as is our custom, by previewing the wines for our mailbox members and this month the 2010 pinot noir is the entrée.  Winemaker Dean Shaw notes the vintage as a rich and concentrated one, and the  wine is bright and focused with lots of blackcurrant, spice and hillside herbal flavors.  With fine and firm tannins, it is a delicious way to get reacquainted!