I never met Sam Neill in the flesh but I have a very fond memory of him. I can’t remember what year it was or what show we were performing at Q Theatre in Auckland – Guru of Chai or Krishnan’s Dairy maybe?

Anyway, I was driving and happened to be listening to Jim Mora interviewing Sam on National Radio. Sam was his usual funny, eloquent and self-effacing self but my ears really pricked up when he mentioned he’d been to Q Theatre to see an Indian Ink show and had thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so, he said, that he’d sent us a case of wine from his vineyard.

Well, now he really had my attention. I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of this alleged case of wine. Who had it? How much had they drunk?

A flurry of phone calls finally revealed the truth. A case of delicious Two Paddocks pinot noir had been quietly sitting behind the bar at Q all along. We promptly liberated it from the bar staff and, that evening, raised a toast to our benefactor. Much like the man himself the wine had a wonderful nose, understated elegance and a long, memorable finish.

Here’s to you, Sam.