Meet the Producers -
Ventosus Micro Winery

For any newcomers, who are you and what do you do?

We are Ventosus Micro Winery, a family run business by Rob & Sarah Matson.

When did you establish your business?

We established the business in January 2021 but have only opened for sales in May 2022 due to the time it takes to build the production facility and make and mature the wine.

What inspired you to begin?

We relocated to Douglas in the summer of 2020 and noticed the number of local distilleries and breweries, but lack of wine makers – we decided to relaunch our initial ideas on the island. Rob has been making wine from his own grapes since 2007 in the UK but due to the inclement IOM weather we have switched exclusively to imported grape juice.

How has your business grown since then?

All our wines have sold well since opening and we are providing them to independent and commercial wedding venues, 4 restaurants, and the Fyn Bar. Our wines are also available to buy by the bottle from The Deli at Tynwald Mills and the Woodbourne Deli in Douglas.

Due to many customer requests, we’ve been working with a company in New Zealand for the last 6 months to perfect our new bubbly which is launching soon.

Where are you based and what does that community mean to you?

The business is based in Port St Mary, and whilst on first looks it appears to be a quiet port village, it’s undergoing material investment from local businesses and is becoming a vibrant area with a good array of shops, restaurants and services, with others planning to open in 2023 and 2024.

What does the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival mean to you?

The IOM Food & Drink festival is a great opportunity for us as a new business to showcase our quality wines and interact with all areas of the community, and offer business collaborations with enhanced products using Manx sourced produce.

Which other local producer(s) are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

We are most looking forward to seeing and meeting other licensed trade businesses, complimentary trades such as Manx Creamery, Manx Lobster and other local farmers.

What’s on the horizon for your business?

We continue to expand in all sales areas in 2023 with an increasing selection of limited edition wines alongside our general wine list. We are progressing a number of collaborative efforts with a range of local producers to offer unique Manx food and drink experiences which we believe will help everyone to maintain a high standard of living in the face of the increased costs in the wider economy. 

Our wines and hampers are available to buy online at www.ventosus.co.uk and we offer an island wide delivery service.

What is your signature dish/product?

Our new collaboration with the IOM Creamery creating a Uniquely Manx Hamper – a bottle of wine of your choice with 2 packs of cheese all wrapped up in a beautiful wicker hamper.