About

Fully independent, family owned and operated, The Village Winery is an importer/distributor dedicated to seeking out wines of exceptional quality and good character, wines that express their origins honestly. 

Owner Bill Vincent is a Judo 7th Dan who represented New Zealand at the 1984 and 1998 Olympic Games and lived in Japan for 20 years. Bill is married to Noriyo, a Japanese radio personality and founding DJ for FM802 in Osaka Japan. Broadcasting as Jean Nagao, Noriyo introduced her audience to exciting new wines and food, becoming a notable figure in the wine industry in the Kansai region.

The Village Winery was initially established in 1995. In order to bring the wines they loved to the then dry community of Mt Eden, Bill and Noriyo set up a working winery at 417 Mt Eden Road. The Village Winery (NZ’s smallest) produced wines under the Windmill Road, Eden and Jean (Methode Traditionelle) labels. Over the years the winery shop grew into the specialty store offering a wide ranging, discerning selection of interesting, individual local and international wines. The Village Winery also housed an impressive collection of Single Malt Whisky and Craft Beer. 

In October 2018, after 23 years, Bill and Noriyo handed the retail baton of the business to Jak Jakicevich in order to focus their attention import and distribution. 

From December 2019, The Village Winery is now Retailing Online, & Wholesaling to shops and restaurants in New Zealand and Japan. For a current price list or to set up an account please email bill@villagewinery.co.nz