TWO ISLAND WINES
OUR STORY
- A KIWI AND A AUSSIE WALKED INTO A DUTCH BAR -
they decide to stay forever. The end!
That's probably the best—and most accurate—way to satisfy your curiosity. While it's a simple and slightly tongue-in-cheek introduction, there's a little more to the story.
The name Two Island Wines comes from the fact that we each hail from two islands in the South Pacific. And yes, one is definitely better than the other... although which one that is depends entirely on which of us you ask.
We're passionate about importing, distributing, and, of course, drinking some of the finest wines Australia and New Zealand have to offer. We work with vineyards that we grew up knowing and admiring, giving us the local knowledge to introduce wines with outstanding reputations and loyal followings back home. For Australians and New Zealanders, these are wineries that are respected, trusted, and celebrated for producing wines that truly reflect the regions they come from.
Our philosophy has always been simple: we partner with producers who are deeply connected to their local communities. We believe great wine starts with great people, so we choose wineries that are committed not only to exceptional winemaking but also to supporting their communities and investing in sustainable environmental and social practices.
For us, it's about more than importing wine—it's about sharing the stories, people, and places behind every bottle.
You might be wondering how two antipodeans ended up in the Netherlands.
To be honest, we've often asked ourselves the same question.
Our story actually begins back in 2001, when we both worked for the same tourism company in London. At the time, neither of us realised that we'd eventually follow remarkably similar paths. Independently of one another, we both ended up moving to the Netherlands for much the same reason: a wonderful Dutch woman who somehow managed to entice, charm, and convince us that life would be better on this side of the world.
Only after we'd both settled into our new lives with our respective better halves did we discover the coincidence and reconnect.
As the years passed, life unfolded much as it does for everyone. Relationships grew stronger, children arrived, careers evolved, and life settled into a comfortable rhythm. The seasons came and went, music changed, and life carried on...
...until 2020.
Like everyone else, the pandemic turned our world upside down. It forced us to rethink what we were doing, embrace change, and look for new opportunities.
Out of that uncertainty came an idea.
An idea to share the wines we grew up with. Wines we knew, loved, and missed. Wines from family-owned vineyards and passionate producers across Australia and New Zealand that deserved a place on tables here in Europe.
And so, Two Island Wines was born.
Today, we're proud to bring a little piece of home to the Netherlands—connecting people with exceptional wines and the stories behind them.
We hope you enjoy discovering them as much as we've enjoyed bringing them here.
Cheers,
Ben & Scott
Ben
OWNER
FOUNDER
ENTREPRENEUR
AUSSIE
Ben with the Restaurant Fred crew
- Rotterdam
Scott
OWNER
BARMAN
CREATIVEDESIGNER
KIWI
Scott working it
- Den Haag
US IN A NUTSHELL
What do we actually do?
IMPORTING
We import direct from vineyards in New Zealand and Australia.
DISTRIBUTION
Pretty clear, we distribute our wines
EVENTS
We can provide for your events/weddings/functions.
FESTIVALS
You can also find us at various wine festivals with our own stand, waiting for you!
-DISCLAIMER TECHICALITIES & INTER ISLAND BANTER-
In reality it should be called 5 Islands Wines, as New Zealand’s has 3 main islands and Australia 2, but that didn’t have the same swagger and groove to it, nor did we want to get bogged down by technicalities, so 2 islands it was.
The Great Western Islands of New Zealand, (commonly known as Australia, or Straya in the local dialect) has struggled for decades with the cunning Kiwi's ability to field great rugby teams and beat them at every other sport.
One thing however the Australians are arguably on par with, or equals to, is wine making.