Olympia, Washington, February 23, 2011 — A bill requiring the Washington State Liquor Control Board to establish a pilot project that would allow wine and beer tasting at farmers markets across the state was overwhelmingly approved by a Senate vote of 41-4 members yesterday, and introduced today in the House. If approved, the bill will land on the governor’s desk for final approval.
If signed into law, the test program would allow a limited number of local Washington State wineries and breweries to offer sample tastings at ten farmers markets between July 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012. The program is limited to just one winery or microbrewery per day, and a minimum of six days of tastings at each location throughout the test period. The Liquor Control Board would be required to report on the pilot project to the Legislature by December 1, 2012.
Several years ago, the Legislature passed a bill allowing Washington State wineries to sell bottles of wine at farmers markets. This seems a logical next step. If the pilot program proves successful and becomes widely adopted, it would spell good news for wine lovers and local wineries alike, and perhaps especially smaller wineries that don’t have a tasting room location. Consumers are far more likely to purchase wines, especially those priced over $10 to $15, when they are able to taste and try the wines first.
Sampling of beer and wine is already permitted in certain public circumstances. Beer and wine specialty shops may serve samples of two ounces or less to a customer. And legislation passed in 2010 now allows certain grocery stores to conduct tastings. Farmers markets are yet another outlet where consumers should be able to taste, sample and purchase wines and food grown and produced locally.
SSB 5029 was originally sponsored by Senators Kohl-Welles, White, King, Honeyford, Holmquist Newbry, Kline, Conway, Tom, Chase, Hewitt, Harper, Nelson and McAuliffe.