Sam Neill, the actor with a passion for wine and life

The Jurassic Park star was in Hong Kong for one day on November 27 to talk about his passion for the pinot noir he makes at his Two Paddocks vineyard in New Zealand

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Sam Neill, pictured in 2007 when he was in Hong Kong to be a wine judge for WinPac. Photo: SCMP

Published: 3:29pm, 27 Nov 2012Updated: 4:30pm, 27 Nov 2012

Actor Sam Neill is in Hong Kong for only one day. He's pre-occupied. His daughter, Elena Neill, is about to give birth. It's his first grand-child and he's awaiting a vital SMS. The baby is scheduled to arrive today.

Meanwhile, he's also talking about his other passion in life -- making high-quality wine. Neill is the owner of Two Paddocks vineyard in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. The vineyard makes pinot noir and riesling, and was started in 1993.

Problem is, Neill is talking in the storage area of Crown wine cellars in Shousin Hill. The concrete walls are almost three metres thick and it's impossible to get a mobile phone signal.

So Sam Neill talks about wine while keeping an eye on the door, where Crown staff are relaying messages from his mobile phone, which he has left with them at the entrance of the building.

Neill has been a major star since his debut in Sleeping Dogs in 1977, followed by significant performances in the Jurassic Park series, and a range of award-winning movies including The Horse Whisperer, The Piano and Dead Calm. More about Neill can be found here.

Sam Neill spoke with reporter Stephen Quinn about the relationship between acting and wine-making.