Nearly five months after most Massachusetts businesses shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, almost all of them are up and running and trying to recover.

But one Dartmouth enterprise has fallen through an unusual loophole — and staff are thinking up creative ways to solve the problem.

Although Running Brook Vineyard on Old Fall River Road has continued to sell its wines for retail over the past few months, the business is unable to conduct the typical tastings that comprise a large portion of its revenue, according to manager Gina Levine.

Since the winery doesn’t serve food — just crackers and snacks to go with its wine tasting menu —  the state has classed it as a bar, meaning it will not be able to conduct tastings until a medical breakthrough occurs, per the governor’s reopening plan.

In fact, Governor Charlie Baker announced on August 7 a crackdown of “bars masquerading as restaurants,” stating that alcohol can only be served on-site if accompanied by food prepared on-site. 

But Running Brook has no kitchen. And as marketing manager Stacie Edwards pointed out, it’s difficult to sell wines made in Dartmouth to people who have never tasted them.

“We’re not a bar,” Edwards said bluntly. “We provide free entertainment and music [alongside tastings], and a lot of families bring picnics, let their kids and dogs run around...It’s sort of a gathering place.”

Running Brook is located on a hilltop in North Dartmouth with views of rolling farmland and woods behind a field laced with rows of grape vines. An indoor warehouse stores barrels and vats, while casual outdoor seating is provided in a patio area for music and tastings.

“We have endless outdoor seating,” Levine noted, adding that the situation is “frustrating.”

The staffers are currently working on different options for serving food to get the all-important food permits from the town.

Food trucks could be one solution. Edwards noted that they have worked with food trucks in the past, but they need to know ahead of time how many people to expect, which is uncertain at best in the time of Covid. 

Edwards said they also thought about asking people to bring their own food, or selling pre-packaged cheese platters and other nibbles, neither of which would work under the governor’s regulations.

But as Edwards also noted, the staff is trying to stay positive. “The grapes keep growing,” she laughed, “And harvest is just around the corner.” 

“We’re continuing to produce and bottle new wines,” she said, adding that the winery has kept up its sales of cases to its members club, and is currently offering large discounts on cases.

“People want to support us, they want to come for a tasting,” said Levine. “And we want to offer them new stuff!”