N.Y. Wine Industry Renews Grocery Store Wine Sales Push

Despite setbacks and opposition from the governor, the New York Wine Industry Association has once again found a bill sponsor.

March 16, 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. - A coalition that includes the Business Council, the Farm Bureau, the New York Wine Industry Association and the Wine Grape Growers Association is once more pushing to allow grocery stores to carry wine, the Democrat and Chronicle reports.

The group pointed to a recent report by the Food Marketing Industry that found liquor stores did not lose sales because of wine in supermarkets. Women, who often avoid liquor stores, buy more than half of all wine sold in food stores, according to the report.

"We must stay focused on keeping New York??s wine industry competitive, and wine in grocery stores enjoys widespread support as a key to achieve this goal," said Sen. Thomas O??Mara, the bill??s sponsor. Assemblyman Joseph Morelle has introduced the Wine Industry and Liquor Store Revitalization Act to the Assembly.

For more than three decades, wineries have been attempting to change the law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has registered his opposition, saying it "would be disruptive to many stores, mom-and-pop shops."

"I think, frankly speaking, that in order for a significant change like this to happen, we??d need to get the consensus of the governor and the Senate and Assembly. That hasn??t happened yet. We keep trying to make that argument," said Morelle, adding that he??s "just not confident this is necessarily the year that this will happen."

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