Wine Bonds

Why is it so difficult to get a Bond for the FEDs in respect of Wine Operations and Tax Deferral?
You'd think that since this is mandated at FED level, there would be a nice little earner going on with people flogging these Bonds. But no. Neither Bonding Agents, Surety Companies, nor Insurance Companies know what we're going on about! Is this some trial, some test of character? If we continue to strike out by Monday, we're calling the FEDs!
I did some wine Nannying tonight. I have been derelict in my attention to the boys in the basement. Some obervations...
SanGiovese & X blend - seems like the loss through the oak is easing off as we only lost another 375ml (1/2 bottle). This compares favorably to the ful bottle lost very quickly after we originally filled him up. I didn't taste though. Just recorded the movement of top-up wine in his log book. Yes, get used to it, there will be regular reports to file with the FEDs each month when this gets going. They want to know everything.
Bordeaux Blend ("BDX") - Loss of 800ml (just over a bottle) since May 29. Before that he lost about 300ml, so 1.1L to date. This barrel has one of those great FlexTank ullage preventer so after topping up the level in the reservoir I drew off some wine from the in-built sampling tube. The wine has definitely changed. Sharper. I think Anton will be pleased with how this is coming along.
The second BDX barrel showed 1000ml loss. Lifetime loss about 1.3L. I noticed the sample pipe was full of air, so I triaged the ullage preventer and restore dit to how it should be. Tasted like the other BDX though. I need to watch out for that! As I said, I've been derelict.
Got to comment on the silicone bung; it's great.
Again I found myself sitting on the bleachers in the basement just staring at the barrels. It is really quite a thing this whole wine making business. So satisfying. I could sit like that forever I think. When we get out of the basement I know I'll be camped out at the winery with the barrels at certain times during the season.
I get to fantasising about us all being there, looking after our wine, caring for the fermentation, working it through racking and the barrels, and cooking on-site, with a fire, talking rubbish. Yes, all men are teenagers at heart and never grow up when presented with something that plays to their emotions or instincts. And this does that to me.
Want to know what the ultimate extent of this fantasy is? No, it doesn't involve a team of Hooters' Stompers. It's a winery on land sufficient to hold four modest homes and at least a 5 or 10 acre small farm, selling naturally raised vegetables, eggs, goats (for there's a gropwing Somali and Mexican population that loves that). And in those homes will be living Marty, Anton, Michael and Me, with our families. Also Mike, as he puts so much into this. Then we'd ask Joe to come on in and drag Scott with him. A Wine Commune. Self Sufficiency.
maybe we should all start entering the Lotteries?