Fifteen years ago this week, on January 27, 2009, we made our first sale and Votto Vines was born. Where has the time gone?
In October 2006, my wife and I visited a little winery in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. We loved the wines and asked the winemaker where we could buy them in Boston or New York. Much to our disappointment, he told us that we couldn’t as the wines were not being exported due to various concerns and issues that the winery had faced in the past. That was my aha moment.
I came home and told my brother, brother-in-law and cousins that we should consider importing Italian wines as a family passion project and start up business. Other family members and friends told us that it was a terrible idea and that the wine industry was one of the most difficult to crack in the world.
Undeterred, we pressed ahead hammering out a business plan for the next two years.
Fifteen years ago this week, on January 27, 2009, we made our first sale and Votto Vines was born (check out that PAID invoice).
It’s hard for me to believe that 15 years has passed since that day. Where has the time gone? It’s an age-old question, but one that I’ve been pondering lately.
On January 27, 2009, I was a young man of 31 years, and my cousin and youngest co-founder Steve was only 23! Wow.
During this week of celebration and reflection, I’d like to take a minute and thank each and every one of you. I am constantly amazed by the incredible people that we have met and the lasting friendships with suppliers, customers and partners that we have formed. That’s been my favorite part of the journey.
We now have friends all over the globe, and have shared experiences, ups and downs, highs and lows, success and failure, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
When I get the chance to speak to students, entrepreneurs or young professionals, I like to tell them all the same thing – follow your dreams. They may not turn out exactly like you had imagined, but if you follow your heart then good things will happen. For me, that’s the legacy of Votto Vines. Fifteen years ago, I can honestly say that we really had no expectations about the future of the business. We simply thought it was a good idea and were excited about a family passion project together. That passion, along with hard work, good luck and great partnerships, has led us today.
In the past fifteen years, we’ve sold more than 34 million bottles of wine generating sales just north of $350M. Not bad for a family passion project that we started with less than $10,000!
The story of Votto Vines has only been possible because of you. So just for this week, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the incredible ride. All my friends, family and partners that made this journey possible (especially my wife and kids who have ridden the ups and downs with me every day). Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all.
Michael Votto
All the best.
Mike