HF 2832

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/10/2010 02:49pm

A bill for an act
relating to liquor; farm wineries; increasing annual production limit; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 340A.315, subdivisions 2, 7.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 340A.315, subdivision 2,
is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Sales.

A license authorizes the sale, on the farm winery premises, of
table, sparkling, or fortified wines produced by that farm winery at on-sale or off-sale,
in retail, or wholesale lots in total quantities not in excess of deleted text begin 50,000 deleted text end new text begin 150,000 new text end gallons in
a calendar year, glassware, wine literature and accessories, cheese and cheese spreads,
other wine-related food items, and the dispensing of free samples of the wines offered
for sale. Sales at on-sale and off-sale may be made on Sundays between 10:00 a.m. and
12:00 midnight. Labels for each type or brand produced must be registered with the
commissioner, without fee prior to sale. A farm winery may provide samples of distilled
spirits manufactured pursuant to subdivision 7, on the farm winery premises, but may
sell the distilled spirits only through a licensed wholesaler. Samples of distilled spirits
may not exceed 15 milliliters per variety.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 340A.315, subdivision 7, is
amended to read:

Subd. 7.

Distilled spirits permitted.

Farm wineries licensed under this section are
permitted to manufacture distilled spirits as defined under section 340A.101, subdivision
9, which may exceed 25 percent alcohol by volume, made from Minnesota-produced
or Minnesota-grown grapes, grape juice, other fruit bases, or honey. The following
conditions pertain:

(1) no farm winery or firm owning multiple farm wineries may manufacture more
than 5,000 gallons of distilled spirits in a given year, and this 5,000 gallon limit is part of
the deleted text begin 50,000 deleted text end new text begin 150,000 new text end gallon limit found in subdivision 2;

(2) farm wineries must pay an additional annual fee of $50 to the commissioner
before beginning production of distilled spirits; and

(3) farm wineries may not sell or produce distilled spirits for direct sale to
manufacturers licensed under section 340A.301, subdivision 6, paragraph (a).