Morning Thoughts

Clouds and rain for the last two nights has thankfully meant a bit more sleep for me. Even so, I was dragging this morning. I gave my kids lunch money instead of making sandwiches. Got them all to school on time, and now it's on to taxes.

I bought a copy of TurboTax just so I can pay an estimate on time. Clary Ranch Wines is an "S" corporation, and we filed an extension on that one. My personal taxes are partially dependent on those results, so I'm trying to get a ballpark figure to send in.

I heard a news report this morning that wine sales are up for the low-end of the price spectrum, but down for premium wines. Good for the big multinational corporations. Bad for small producers like myself. Cult wines that used to be snapped up by those lucky enough to be on the mailing list are now languishing in warehouses. In the current economic climate, mass-produced wines seem to be pushing the handmade ones from the marketplace. I can't even bottle air for two bucks at my cost. More and more small vintners that I speak with are bemoaning (with not just a little desperation!) the prospective need to move into second labels to take advantage of the bulk wine market. It is far cheaper to find generic wine ready to bottle than to go to the trouble of growing or buying grapes, and nurturing them through fermentation and aging. Please support your local vintner!

My sincere and heartfelt gratitude goes out to my customers for their support of handmade wines. Vive la difference!