KENTUCKY APPEARS CLOSER TO THE 3-TIER SYSTEM

Kentucky’s Senate Bill 82, sponsored by Sen. Gary Tapp, would eliminate in-state and out-of-state direct wine shipments if passed. The Senate already approved the bill which is currently under consideration in the House. Prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Kentucky wineries that produced less than 50,000 gallons of wine a year were allowed to ship directly to consumers. Sen. Tapp’s bill will launch a $1 million fund to promote small wineries and give payments to distributors that agree to carry products from wineries that generate less than 10,000 gallons yearly. Also, customers that purchase wine in person are allowed to receive two case shipments through the mail.


House Bill 507, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rand, proposes that out-of-state and in-state wineries producing less than 50,000 gallons a year ship directly to Kentucky. The proposal is currently under review by a House committee. However, according to Business First of Louisville, Senator Tapp said, “If that should happen, my biggest concern with that is the larger wineries would come into Kentucky through direct sales and really make it touch on the Kentucky wineries.”