In the early 1990’s, the actor Sam Neill convinced his friend, movie director Roger Donaldson, to buy a Gibbston Valley vineyard next door to his. Roger established a 20 acre vineyard in the shadow of Mount Rosa outside Queenstown and named it the Blair-Gunn Block in honor of his parents. But when it came to naming the wine from the vineyard, it was Roger’s first film success, Sleeping Dogs, which appealed to his individual style, hence the name of this boutique wine.
The 1977 movie Sleeping Dogs has become the cornerstone of the New Zealand film industry. It was the first New Zealand film that was a major international success: a New Zealand director incorporating international styles of filmmaking to bring the world New Zealand landscapes, locales and local accents. With the Sleeping Dogs label, Roger introduced the world to his Central Otago wines, incorporating international styles of winemaking with New Zealand terrior, style and flavor.
Established: 1995
Acreage: 20
Winemaker: Dean Shaw
Yearly production: 1,000 cases
A row In the vineyard
Sleeping Dogs Vineyard with Nevis Bluff in the background
A Wood Pigeon