VILLAGE VINEYARDS

Family has always been at the heart of Village Vineyards. The story began in 1981, when Dai and Jenny Evans established the Village Orchard in Havelock North, growing everything from apples and pears to stone fruit and selling directly to the local community through a thriving farm gate. For more than three decades, the orchard became a place where fresh produce, hard work and genuine connections with customers defined everyday life.

As the agricultural landscape changed, so too did the family's direction. The original orchard made way for a new chapter when son Rhys Evans, after studying viticulture and gaining winemaking experience across New Zealand and overseas, returned home to Hawke's Bay. In 2019, just a few hundred metres from the original orchard, Village Vineyards was established—bringing the family's passion for growing exceptional produce into the world of fine wine.

Today, the organically certified vineyard is farmed entirely by hand, with every decision guided by a deep respect for the land. Cover crops, winter grazing, biodynamic preparations and minimal soil disturbance all work together to build healthy soils and expressive fruit, while BioGro organic certification reflects the family's commitment to sustainable, transparent winegrowing.

That same philosophy continues in the winery. Fermentations are driven primarily by wild yeasts cultivated from the vineyard itself, wines are handled with minimal intervention, and filtration is kept to a minimum to preserve purity and site expression. Every wine is also vegan-friendly, allowing the character of the vineyard to shine without compromise.

From the vibrant Golden Queen Pinot Gris and Orchard Road Rosé to the Ironhorse Chardonnay and single-vineyard Arataki Block range, Village Vineyards captures the character of Hawke's Bay through wines that are honest, expressive and unmistakably connected to the land. More than a winery, it remains a family story—one built on generations of growing, caring for the soil, and sharing the fruits of that labour with others.