ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It has been a long wait for winery and distillery owners, but under the governor’s updated health order, they are now allowed to operate like breweries and restaurants. Sean Sheehan, the owner of Sheehan Winery, says it was difficult to watch wineries, get passed up for reopening week, after week, but he stayed positive.

“It gave us time to really implement our COVID-safe practices,” said Sheehan. He started Sheehan winery five years ago in the back yard of his south valley home. He says a business owner never really plans for a pandemic to temporarily shut down your company. Selling fewer bottles of wine than ever before, Sunday boxes of wine are piled up in his storage garage. “Our sales versus last year, from March to July is down about 80%,” said Sheehan.