'My wine' for 'your wine' - Dutch business owner switches Malaga restaurant Vino Mío for shop Vino Tuyo

Hélène Mostertman has changed from Vino Mío to Vino Tuyo, from My Wine to Your Wine. The Dutch businesswoman, who sold her well-known restaurant next to the Cervantes theatre in July last year, has opened a wine shop that plays on the name of her first establishment. Vino Tuyo is a stall in Merced market, just a few metres from where she previously worked.

The new project was created with the idea of introducing new products and keeping in touch with her long-standing customers.

"I am a sommelier and I love to tell the stories behind the wines," she explained.

In addition to wines from different designations of origin (DOs), the stall also sells some products related to the world of wine with delicatessen products from Malaga, such as oils, cheeses and olives.

Vino Tuyo offers around twenty different wines, mainly from the wineries Anayón, from the DO Cariñena, and Idrias, from the DO Somontano. Hélène explained that the former was the best-selling wine in the restaurant and that after taking over the business she has decided to continue promoting it. The latter is organic and particularly special to her.

She also has several references from the Rioja DO, vermouths and a small selection of non-alcoholic wines. But that's not all: if a customer wants a specific wine that she doesn't have, she will arrange for its special delivery to the stall.

She is very excited about this new venture because it will allow her to get back into direct contact with the public. In fact, many of the customers who used to go to Vino Mío have already written to her and she hopes to maintain these client relationships. She also added that it is a complicated venture because the market is not at its best (many local stalls have closed down).

"It's a challenge, like it was with Vino Mío: all my friends told me I was crazy, but it worked out well and it's still there." "It's a hobby that I want to make the most of," she added.

Regarding the transfer of Vino Mío, she explained that it was a necessary sacrifice in order to dedicate enough time to her other projects, which remain time-consuming. She was referring to Planeta Detalles, her other company which sells presents and personalised gift sets online. And she is hoping to offer sets of wines and select products, such as cheeses or chocolates through the Happy Cheersy website.

For the time being, Vino Tuyo (although the stall's sign says Anayón: its main supplier) will be open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 12 to 3pm, to test public interest. She plans to extend opening hours later on and even host events in the form of tastings, in which she hopes to involve other market stalls, like her neighbour who sells Dutch cheeses.