Nick mixes Vino & Vinyl to create a setlist for success in the Riverina

Wagga entrepreneur Nick Stanbury has the unique privilege of doing something he loves for a living through his business Vino & Vinyl.

“I guess it’s the coming together of two big passions of mine – being great music and wine,” he explained.

“I’ve found that they work really well hand in hand because you’re combining two great things that make you feel good.”

Nick’s unique business offers two distinct services leveraging his expertise and experience in the wine trade and his passion for music and classic records.

“My parents used to play a lot of music around the house and I was pretty heavily influenced by their tastes,” he reflected.

“My dad in particular brought me up on a lot of Motown and soul, disco and funk as well as all the classic ‘yacht rock’ like your Steely Dans, Doobie Brothers and then the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.”

With a busy schedule of DJ gigs at weddings, celebrations and events, Nick hauls his substantial collection of vinyl back and forth across the Riverina in his trusty van.

“They are heavy, I can tell you that firsthand, given how much I carry around,” he laughed.

“I started collecting records back in 2012 and I really fell in love with the way we used to sell music. Particularly pop music from the 60s and 70s, with the beautiful artwork and physicality. The touch and feel is beautiful.

“There’s a subtlety about records and a real warmth that you don’t get when you stream music because it’s so compressed.

“Sometimes, if it’s a bit of an older record, it also has that slight crackle and it’s just so nostalgic and comfy.”

Nick said there was also a joy to be found in taking the time to engage with a single body of work rather than the never-ending smorgasbord served up by streaming platforms.

“Everything’s so instant and you can just skip and put things together, but when you put a record on and you want to change something, you’ve got to get up to get the stylus and move it around, so it forces you to listen,” he said.

“Those albums were put together in a particular order on a piece of wax in a way that the person who created it wanted you to listen to it.”

Nick’s love for vino began in the UK when he “fell into a job” with a wine supplier and continued in the industry with Langtons Fine Wines when he returned to Australia.

“I think after working in wine with a big retailer like Langtons and also getting experience in the wholesale market, I was able to bring those contacts on board when I moved to the Riverina in 2018,” he explained.

Nick said the Riverina has a growing appreciation of fine wines and he enjoys working with local venues to bring something fresh to the dining scene.

“When I moved to Wagga, I noticed that there were a lot of young professionals and people who have traveled and gone to different places all around the world and around Australia, who love great wine,” he said.

“Back in 2019 it was harder to find the sorts of wines that you don’t just see everywhere else and I think I’ve been able to bring my expertise and my passion for what I do and the access to source stuff from all over the place.

“I’ve been able to work with local venues like Meccanico to help them curate something that’s going to be in line with what their customers like, but also be able to give them a unique experience.”

While the vino and the vinyl remain separate elements of the business for the most part, Nick said that he is occasionally able to achieve a crossover.

“Occasionally I will do events and wine dinners with my clients and bring the two together,” he said.

“For example, I recently did a Sicilian wine tasting with seven wines from different regions and with each one I put on a record and – without getting too weird – I’d explain why I was drawn to something about this record by that particular wine.”

So whether it’s curating the perfect wine list or locking in the perfect soundtrack, Vino & Vinyl has you covered.

“They are two things that I’m hugely passionate about so I’m really grateful to the local community in the Riverina for embracing what I do.”