There are times when a passion deserves to become a business. If you are very passionate about wine and everything around it then you may have fantasized about opening a winery. If you have messed around with making your own wine at home for friends and family, then you may have what it takes to take it to the next level.
It certainly won’t be easy, but if you are determined then you can certainly see things through to be able to live the dream. It’s simply a matter of knowing what you’d be getting into so you can decide for yourself if the hurdles are surmountable or not. Learn more from the established wineries around if you are considering opening one.
In this article, we will go over what you should know when it comes to opening your own winery.
Decide Where To Open
The most apparent advice is to open a winery in an area where exceptional grapes flourish and grow. You should also choose to open in an area with strong wine culture. This will provide an atmosphere in which you can operate since there are going to be a lot of people with some expertise that is easily hirable.
For instance, Spain is a very logical choice since world-class grapes grow there that make fine wines. And the locals are experienced in the art of winemaking so it is not an issue to find qualified personnel to work.
As a bonus, things are more affordable in Spain than they would be in someplace like Napa California, or Burgundy in France. You can buy a premium villa in Marbella to go along with your winery for much less than you would pay elsewhere.
Figure Out The Licensing
No matter where you end up opening a winery, the fact that the business is alcohol-based will make the licensing and certification process less straightforward. It is up to you to navigate the system in place in whichever location you decide to open.
This is another reason to open the winery in an area with already established wine companies since there will likely be an agency that does nothing else but help small wineries get through all of the paperwork. There is also the matter of being set up to export so having somebody to help guide you through the process will be welcome.
Get Funding
The majority of the costs of opening a winery will come early on in the process. And it will take quite some time before any revenue begins to come in. This is before there is even a possibility of any profits to be made.
Getting funding is essential as it will permit you to get things off the ground without running out of money. Luckily, there are a lot of people that are passionate about wine and also have substantial amounts of money. Getting investors is not as difficult as it can be in other industries.
It will take calculating how much you need to open and operate for a couple of years without any money coming in. Then, you can start looking for investors and offer them shares or simply be angel investors. Crowdfunding also works well because of the passion effect associated with the wine world.
