NASHVILLE, TN - A bill to allow Tennessee retail food stores to sell wine died last week, failing to attract the necessary legislative backing to move forward, TimesNews.net reports.

It is the sixth consecutive year that a wine sales bill has failed to gain traction in the statehouse.

In early February, state Rep. Jon Lundberg introduced a measure that would allow residents to petition for a referendum on grocery wine sales within their city or county. However, no state senator would sign on to co-sponsor the bill, ending its chance at success.

Jarron Springer, president of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association, conceded defeat of the measure in a statement released last week.

"We are at an impasse with the legislature and the 'wine in retail food stores?? bill will not be heard this year. The makeup of the Senate State & Local Government Committee and the House State & Local Government Committee has not changed in some time, and a majority of the current members are not eager to vote for our bill. Everyone knows that if the bill were to be heard by the full legislature, it would pass," Springer said.

Spring said his association "remains committed...to change Tennessee??s antiquated liquor laws."

"We are in business to serve our customers, and they have told us time and again that they want to purchase wine where they shop for food," he said.