By their own admission Ian Swindells and MaryBeth Coll are on a ’learning curve’ with their new business.

They are behind a venture called Foraging Vintners and it has turned into a real ’labour of love.’

It is based in The Old Coal Shed at The Breakwater, Port Erin.

There are two strands to the venture. In one part of the building they are making wine out of locally grown produce such as elderflower and rhubarb.

And only a few days ago they opened their new wine bar and if the first weekend is anything to go by it looks like it will be a runaway success.

It’s a whole new ’ball game’ for American MaryBeth, 41, who was a real estate lawyer and Australian Ian, 42, whohas worked on oil rigs.

The couple sat down with Business News to discuss their business, complete with Norman, their French bulldog.

MaryBeth said: ’Ian was in the army and then worked on oil rigs and I worked in banking and then went into law.

’It’s been nice to sort of think about doing something different.

’We’ve been here for over five years now. It made sense at the time to come here. We were living in Colorado.

’We were only going to be here for two years but we are kind of still here, we love living in the island.

’I don’t think we are alone in that sort of story.’

Mary Beth said the business has grown out of a hobby when they were living in Surby and started making all sorts of wine out of elderflower and rhubarb. They even converted their garden shed to make it like a little pub for them, their neighbours and pals to pop into.

MaryBeth said people came along to sample their home made fizz and it grew from there.

’We decided to look into it and see what we could do. In the meantime we moved from Surby to Port St Mary.’

It has been all go since the enterprising couple were first featured in the Examiner last August announcing they were taking delivery of equipment to set up the distillery in a property which was, some time ago, a coalyard and latterly was used as a wooden toy workshop, near the Raglan Pier.

The couple have been working long hours creating a winery using produce available locally and not grapes.

They describe it as craft wine, similar to the growing trend for craft beer.

MaryBeth said they have contacted a farmer up at Cregneash who has allowed them to use a field to grow rhubarb.

’Instead of it being a vineyard it is a Rhub-yard. It has 900 crowns of rhubarb growing’.

Talking about the wine bar side of the business Iansaid: ’This is our first toe in the water at this sort of thing. We want to make sure everyone has the right sort of experience when they come in.’

They have decided to open five days a week and are closed on Monday and Tuesdays for the time being.

MaryBeth said ’At times when it is not busy here [in the wine bar]there will be plenty ot get on with next door in the manufacturing side of the business.

’It’s not like there will ever be any dead time.’

The wine bar is selling wines and beers from all over the world.

The plan is that eventually elderflower sparking wine, sparkling mead which is a honey wine and sparkling rhubarb will also be available to customers in the wine bar.

MaryBeth compared the business, in which they have been putting 14 hour days to a marathon. She said: ’If we were in a marathon we would be in mile eight.’

’We’ve still a way to go.’

The couple said they have ’great friends’ who have been helping.

Ian said: ’People have been so supportive and helpful.

’This has been a learning curve, it has gone from hobby level to commercial in a year.

’You are going from 60 litre batches to 5,000 litre batches.’

MaryBeth added: ’We have gone from working relatively industrial type jobs to talking to farmers, talking about crops and yields and learning things.

’It’s been a big learning curve in a lot of ways.

’But we feel there is a need for this. Everyone’s been very positive and excited about it.’

MaryBeth said: ’Especially for women this will be a nice place to come to, somewhere that is just a little bit different’

The wine bar is certainly cosy and has an atmosphere of its own.

It is hoped bottles of their very own Foraging Vintners wine will be rolling out in time for TT.

MaryBeth said the April 1 opening date for the wine bar was also special for her and Ian.

’April 1 is not an ominous day for us because we met 18 years ago on April 1.

’We met in Houston, Texas. Our fathers, who were friends and work colleagues, set us up [for a date].

On the wall of the wine bar are three paintings. On closer inspection the faces look familiar - they are those of TT heroes John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Guy Martin and Ian Hutchinson.

MaryBeth said they are based on renaissance paintings and Dionysus and Bacchus, the God of wine making.

’We had an artist in Texas, he’s a friend of a friend of mine, to transpose TT riders’ faces on the paintings.

’He had no idea about the TT or who these people were . He normally paints pets!.

’It gives people something to talk about and the idea is that you are drinking with the Gods.’