Article originally posted by the WHAS-TV Web site directed to: http://www.whas11.com/news/local/64139217.html

 

 

Local organization pushing for expanded wine sales in groceries

WHAS11.com

Posted on August 15, 2009 at 5:40 PM

Updated Tuesday, Oct 13 at 3:28 PM

At least one organization wants to legalize the sell of wine at the corner grocery.

The Kentucky Food and Wine Coalition represents the grocery store industry, and wants to educate the public on expanded wine sales. The commonwealth is one of only 16 states where wine sales are not allowed inside grocery stores, even those stores that sell beer.

It’s something the coalition hopes to change, some they say grocers want to change as well.

“We would like to change existing Kentucky laws to allow the creation of a new license which would allow food stores in counties where alcohol beverage package sales are already allowed to also be able to sell wine,” said Luke Schmidt of L.B. Schmidt and associates.

Schmidt says there are 50 wineries in Kentucky and allowing that wine to be sold in grocery stores would benefit the local wine industry. Schmidt also says that people who live in dry counties would not be affected by any future change to the existing law.