TRAVESSIA Winery Blog: The Feds say Yay!

October 03, 2008

The Feds say Yay!

On Wednesday I received notification from the TTB that my application for a winery permit was approved. If you follow me on twitter this is old news to you since I posted (or should I say twitted) the news within minutes. But I know most of you don’t really know what twitter is all about and are maybe even scared of finding out (and I don’t blame you, I’ve been there).

Having my application approved by the federal government is a huge step. Over the last few months I’ve seen the Travessia bank account get smaller and smaller. From the purchase of equipment, to paying for legal services and application fees, to the rent I’ve been paying since August, it’s been a bit, how should I say it… uncomfortable. All the money going out, no money coming in, and I did not even know if the government was going to let me do this. It sure takes a little bit of money, but more than money, please say it with me… it takes BIG BALLS.

So, getting this approval feels great, but it’s not a completely done deal just yet. Now that I’ve got my federal permit, I have to apply for a winery permit with the state of Massachusetts. Now, you would think that there aren’t that many wineries in Massachusetts so the process should be pretty straight forward and quick. Think again. I would not be surprised if I have to wait a couple more months before I clear this final hurdle. But we all know that these "road blocks" exist for a good reason. It's about determining how much do I really want this... at least that's what I keep telling myself when the doubts set in from time to time. :-)

We are one step closer to that opening day when we all get to celebrate a good glass of Travessia wine.

Posted at 10:10 AM in Travessia | Permalink