Hello everyone!  This is only our second newsletter of the year so let me try to make it a good one...

New tasting and sales room

We are in the final stages of setting up our new tasting and sales room here in downtown New Bedford.  This has been almost like starting the winery from scratch, especially from a permitting prespective.  The good news is that last week we received approval from the Federal and State government.  This new tasting room will give us the ability to receive visitors in a more spacious and comfortable environment.  We hope to open it in a few days.  Come visit us!


Old and new vintages

We have a few cases left of our 2009 Vidal Blanc.  If you have tasted this wine you know what to expect. If you haven't, we certainly recommend that you grab a bottle.  This was the third most favorite wine by people who used the Second Glass mobile app to vote on wines at this year's Boston Wine Riot tasting event… out of about 250 wines!  Over the Summer we also released a pair of Chardonnay wines, the 2010 UnOaked and the 2010 barrel aged.  They were "born" as one wine through the end of fermentation, but we aged some in oak barrels while a portion aged in stainless steel tank.  The differences between the two finished wines are quite obvious and fun to taste and experience.


Mother Vine

As many of you know, Travessia has strong family and cultural ties to Portugal.  We recently connected with Ken Payton a film producer from California who spent several weeks in Portugal researching and documenting old Portuguese wine regions, the wines and the people who still make them.  The result is a documentary that Ken titled "Mother Vine".  Here's a description of the film by Ken Payton:

"Traveling throughout Portugal, including the islands of the Azores, we've documented select historical wine regions under multiple threats. From the building of second homes, to European Union mandates; from financial hardship, to the unwillingness of a younger generation to follow, Portugal is very close to losing forever important elements of its wine culture and history. Mother Vine is an effort to introduce to European and American audiences just what is at stake as Portugal encounters modernization. Through humor and pathos, Mother Vine follows the practices and dignified labor of winemakers in regions entirely unknown to all but the most traveled. Can hundreds of years of wine culture be saved? Mother Vine emphatically says 'yes'."

We are excited to announce that on Sunday, November 6th, Travessia will present a viewing of Mother Vine.  The film is in Portuguese with English sub titles and Ken Payton himself will be with us.  The viewing is at the New Bedford Whaling Museum theater starting at 3PM, followed by a complimentary tasting at Travessia Winery (2 minute walk from the museum).

Seating at the Whaling Museum theater is limited, so we ask that you purchase your tickets in advance.

WHAT: "Mother Vine" documentary film by Ken Payton
WHEN: Sunday, November 6th, 3PM
WHERE: Whaling Museum, downtown New Bedford
COST: $15 film screening & complimentary tasting at Travessia
Tickets for sale in advance at winery or call 774-929-6534


As always, we thank you for your continued support.  You know this already, but I'll say it again… without you, Travessia would not exist.

My best,
Marco Montez
Owner & Winemaker