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“As MLA for Kellys Cross-Cumberland, I’m pleased to take part in the official ribbon-cutting for the Matos Winery,” said MLA Valerie Docherty, who attended and brought greetings on behalf of Minister Campbell.

“But there have been several years of careful planning, research and hard physical labour invested in this project. With the first bottles of Matos wine ready for sale, we have a locally made product that will compete with imported wines in our liquor stores. Hopefully Matos wine will soon find its ways into markets outside of Prince Edward Island.”

Matos Winery is owned and operated by Jaime and Heather Matos, two veterans of the home wine-making industry who decided that there was an opportunity for a quality Island-made wine using grapes adapted to the soil and climate of Prince Edward Island.

Jaime Matos, who grew up on a vineyard in his native Portugal, said the selection of the right location and the right grape varieties is critical to making Matos Winery a success.

“Our vision is to grow and introduce new products and continue to produce great quality wines,” said Heather Matos. “The challenge with producing wines in this climate is that it is a short season and you have to be very careful of the types of grapes you plant.”

The wine from Matos’s 2010 harvest has just been bottled, with just over 7,000 bottles produced. They expect to produce 87,000 bottles by 2014, increasing to a 95,000 annual output by 2016 as the vines mature.

At full operation, the winery will employ two people year-round and a larger staff of roughly four on a seasonal basis. The Matos also offer vineyard tours, tasting and an on-site gift shop.

Along with Jaime and Heather Matos’s investment in the winery, the operation is benefiting from the financial support of Innovation PEI, the PEI Lending Agency and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.