Looking For Places To Sell Local Wine

Connecticut farms that make and bottle their own wine are looking for more venues to showcase their products. But as WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports some package stores oppose two proposals that would give farmers more places to sell bottled wine.

In Napa Valley California there are 450 wineries. In all of Connecticut there are only about thirty. Jamie Jones, President of the Connecticut Vineyard and Winery Association, says local vineyards are still in their infancy. He supports a proposed bill that would allow wineries to sell bottled wine at farmer’s markets

“One of the things we struggle with is public awareness and creating more exposure. The ability to have more venues, besides just the direct revenue, is also just the ability for more people to try our product, see how good it is and expand our businesses.”

The state Department of Agriculture supports the bill. But Peter Berdon, Executive Director of The Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut says the bill would be harmful to package stores that sell all kinds of wine, including farm wine.

“It would affect directly retailers in terms of their sales. And then farmers markets do not have a controlled environment in which the products would be sold or distributed, unlike traditional  stores that would be selling beverage alcohol.”

Another bill would allow two wine festivals every year where bottled wine is sold to the public. Now only one is allowed. The Wine and Spirit Wholesalers oppose that bill. There’s also a bill allowing wineries to purchase signs on interstate highways directing travelers to farm markets. The Environment Committee expects to vote on whether to move these bills forward as early as next week. 

For WNPR, I’m Nancy Cohen.