Blog
Featured Blog
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Select the Categories
Sort By
- Date
- Title
- Author
- Default
5 Gallon Kegs, Label Approvals and You.
5 gallon kegs have become a popular way for wineries to get their product out into the marketplace, specifically the by-the-glass marketplace. I had a client contact me recently for assistance with a new label approval (COLA) for his upcoming bottling. I’ve filed these for him in the past but this year was the first time […]
2012 Winery Compliance Wrap Up…….& What To Watch For in 2013.
Here we are at years end. A time often focused on assessing the years events & developments, ups and downs. For the winemaking world 2012 has already been marked as an incredible one in relation specifically to the grape harvest. (At least here in California) But what about in relation to compliance? What were the stories there? […]
Wineries, Who Is In Your Compliance Corner?
Quick question my winemaking compliance friends, When you researched for the answer to a compliance question were you ever frustrated with the first answer you were given? And by frustrated I mean the answer you were given either was not very clear or just didn’t sound like the right one you were after? My simple solution when this happens […]
Congratulations, You’re A Winery! Now What??
There are currently over 7,000 wineries in the US. I continually am in contact with folks at the beginning stage of starting a wine business, and many of those are as a “bonded winery”. Basically what that expression means is they are licensed as a winery, so a business that makes wine, grape to bottle. […]
Wineries – Are You Out of Bounds on Your Bond?
I recently wrote a post about one of the potential compliance side effects related to this years high yield harvest. Afterwards, while I was talking to a client I was reminded of another potential compliance issue. He asked about the topic of bond coverage and what happens if wineries go outside their limits. First, let me put all of that into […]
My Top Time & Money Saving Winery Compliance Tips!
Winemakers, do you cringe at the thought of having to deal with your compliance? If you said yes (And you know all of you did) then I’ve got some good news for you. There are some simple ways to make keeping up with your compliance an easier task. Really, there are. I’ve conveniently summarized a list […]
Winemakers – It’s 3 am, Do You Know Where Your Grapes Are?
Harvest of 2012 has definitely shaped up to be a very welcome banner year for wineries here in California. I’ve been reading story after story about the high tonnage amounts, and picture perfect looking fruit that has been arriving at wineries over the past two months. But what happens when too much of a good […]
The Top 10 Useful Items From The TTB’s Website
There’s no shortage of questions around the topic of winery compliance. I hear them all the time from folks across the spectrum of the business, from those just getting started to well seasoned veterans who have worked years at many wineries. One of the most standard resources I point them towards for the answers to […]
Winemakers – Compliance Got You Down?
Compliance not popular? No way! Well actually yes, that is the way compliance is for many folks who deal with it. It is an undesirable, unsatisfying chore that they dread and put off til the last minute. I know this from interacting with a lot of winery colleagues over the years and hearing their sad […]
Planning For A Wine Business: CC Client VS. Alternating Proprietor
I talk to a lot of people who are just getting started with a wine business. Many of them are either starting as a custom crush client (wholesaler) or as an alternating proprietor. (See my two previous posts) No matter which of these types of licensing they are getting I always start out our […]
Compliance Lessons Part 2: What Alternating Proprietors Need to Know
Last week’s post was a milestone for my website. The post on custom crush compliance lessons has received (as of this writing) over 1,000 viewings! It was a definite rush for me to see this response but it also tells me (reminds me really) that there are a lot of behind the scenes compliance […]
Compliance Lessons From Crushpad: The Custom Crush Client Trail
I’ve been keeping track of the daily news stories about the transitions happening for custom crush winery Crushpad. I’m interested from a compliance (surprise!) perspective and what all the ownership changes and potential moving around of wines means for their customers. There is a kind of crazy connect the dots compliance trail happening there that […]
Harvest: A Good Beginning For A Wine Compliance Career
It’s August. Harvest 2012 is approaching. (here in the N hemisphere) To follow up on another recent blog post about wine compliance careers this time I’d like to focus on a specific example of a great beginning job opportunity for someone who’d like to get their feet wet learning winery compliance. This job exposes them […]
Elise Baril: Common Misconceptions and Advice About Wine Compliance
I recently met with my friend and fellow wine compliance colleague, Elise Baril. Elise is President of Baril Compliance Service, located in Santa Rosa, CA. We have recently been developing a referral relationship between our businesses and in that spirit I wanted to tap into and share some of her advice and input from over […]
Harvest is Coming…Is Your Compliance Prepared?
The beginning cycle of winemaking is about to start in the northern hemisphere: the grape harvest. Otherwise just called “harvest” or “crush” by those directly impacted by it. What does this part in the winemaking cycle mean from a compliance viewpoint? This is where all the records of a wine’s life begin which include many of the details often referred […]
