Wine Buyer and Sales Director, qualified to WSET level 3 (with distinction). He has been in the Island wine trade for 20 years and has an in-depth understanding of the hospitality industry, and an uncanny ability to find wines that offer outstanding value for money.
Operations Director, qualified to WSET level 3 (with distinction). With 24 years experience in the wine trade both retail and wholesale including 9 years running multiple sites for Threshers.
Matt and Liz Whishaw founded The Island Wine Company as a small retail shop in Ventnor. With the aid of Mike Shorrock as operations manager, over the next 3 years they worked hard to expand into the on-trade sector, with Matt Rogers joining in Feb 2014 to further aid in the growth of the business.
The Island Wine Company had outgrown its humble High Street home in Ventnor, and so began the move to our large barn in Niton. To coincide with the move and growth of the business, we rebranded to Wight & Wessex Wines.
With the business expanding and the Whishaws having less time to devote to the company, a management buyout was proposed. Matt R and Mike became the directors of Wight & Wessex Wines Ltd, and a new chapter began.
As the Covid pandemic hit and lockdown decimated the hospitality industry, Matt and Mike looked for ways to save the business, and The Winebulance was born! Wine lovers across the IOW could have a box of their favourite wines delivered to their doorstep.
Having refocused the business over the past 3 years to concentrate on the Isle of Wight hospitality trade, Wight and Wessex Wines rebranded to the much snappier named Wight Wines.
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