BOWBlog Page
Here at BOW, we sometimes like to write about what we're up to. This Blog page is our chance to report from the front line of wine making and we hope you like our silly little thoughts!
Some days....
Posted on: 9th October, 2009
Sharon and I entered this business to live our dream. We wanted to create and sell great wine. We wanted to create a place of community; where friendships would be created. Where families could come together. Where children and dogs and everyone would be welcome. A place where our staff would love what they do and we would all learn about the amazing wine and grapes thingey together....
We did it. We created our dream at BOW. We did it in three short and intense years. We got a huge amount of help along the way. And we are exhausted and amazed and joyful at each and every day that we greet and share together.
We thought that we picked the perfect place to build a winery. On a hill, easily accessible, on a good frontage road, on a large piece of property far from the neighbors. Near but not too near to DC. In a beautiful and historic county. A great community. State law was clear, we would be treated as an agricultural enterprise if we grew grapes and made wine on our premises. We would be allowed to sell wine on site and to do the assorted activities that our customers typically get at wineries in Virginia and elsewhere. A little music, a little snack to go with their wine, the occasional special event. As long as we didn't disturb the neighbors, cause traffic disruptions, or overtax the drain field, we could do pretty much as we pleased.
Unfortunately, over the past three months, BOW has been questioned about/told the following by members of the Fauquier Board of Supervisors. People say that BOW does not make wine. BOW does not grow grapes. BOW is a "nightclub". BOW does not pay sales taxes. BOW charges a door cover charge for people to enter and do a tasting. All of these statements couldn't be further from the truth. I told a supervisor that we wanted to be "a place of community." His response was that we should be in the center of the community i.e. in Marshall or Warrenton and not in the countryside. This is such a strange idea. Since when is the countryside not the perfect place to find and create community!?
We have been told by supervisors that "It does not matter that BOW is doing charitable events, people believe that these are a ruse to allow you to be a bar". "It does not matter that BOW does not make any money off the local organic food cart: Local 647. People think that you are just just trying to be a restaurant". My favorite comes via a friend verbatim from a Supervisor: "BOW is exactly what we do not need in Fauquier". I tell you, our elected reps are absolutely convinced that we are an entertainment center masquerading as an agricultural business. Only one has been out to visit and see what we do. We have even been told that our marketing is too aggressive and has gotten us in trouble. We're not really sure how to respond to so many uninformed misperceptions about us among our elected officials. We can't get them to take us up on our offers to come out and visit. It does seem very bizzare. How did we get here?
Hmmm....we shake our heads and we ruefully laugh it off. -But we also worry a little.
Yet it is the harvest. We love our lives. We are making amazing and delicious wines. Our customers are simply the best. You come back again and again and you bring your friends and family. You tell us how much you enjoy what we are doing and you give us the energy to get up in the morning and do it again.
Thank you.
We're going to keep at it. We are completely open about everything we do and the reasons why we do it. We're not going anywhere. We'll keep trying to get the people who hold our fate in their hands to visit and to see for themselves what we do. Over time we will be successful in spreading our story and our love and our passion for what we get to do.
You get it...maybe someday they will too.
Moving on...
Columbus Day weekend marks the heart of the harvest. It is the time when the leaves are really turning and the grapes are becoming wine. It is an exciting time! In the words of one of my favorite authors:
"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing."
--Ernest Hemingway
We really believe those words. How about you? Our shared dream grows from our pleasure of wine and the extraordinary people and experiences that it brings into our world. And for this one, Barley and little Justice are along for the ride.
Please read on if you want to see and learn all about the happenings of the civilized grape at BOW over the next few weeks.
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- One Journey at a Time. My brother Ben and his wife Kathy travelled around the country this summer with their two kids, Genevieve and Sebastian. Kathy wrote a storyu of the trip and she has posted her photos and story of their visit to us. Enjoy!
- Portuguese Water Dogs (not named Bo) shine in the spotlight
- A lovely online article about BOW in Tasting and Touring Magazine.
- A visitor's blog and photos about BOW from late May, 2009
- A story about BOW's grand opening from the May 8, 2008 Fauquier Times Democrat.
- Editorial in the Fauquier Times Democrat regarding Green Business as Good Business. The editorialist, Joe Gumino, a good friend of BOW, died unexpectedly soon after this editorial was published and we miss him dearly.
- Check out a great article on Barrel Oak Winery's successes in the first year. Thank you Bill Walsh at the Fauquier Times Democrat!
- Read about our green building in the Piedmont Virginian.
- Read about BOW in the Wall Street Journal Online!
- The Unemployed Mom. See what a mom thinks about BOW as the child friendly winery of Virginia!
- BOWHaus Joy: The other other Red wine! Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Virginia is for Lovers with a bottle of our very special limited release. Have you seen it? Our beloved Bogart is racing up the label!
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