Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/708909
August 2016 WINES&VINES 75 WINE EAST WINE INDUSTRY NEWS D enver, Colo.— Until recently, Colorado has limited most alcohol sales to li- quor stores and a virtual handful of retail outlets. That changed on June 10, when Gov. John Hickenlooper signed SB 197 into law. After it takes effect in January 2017, the "compromise liquor law" will phase in over the course of 20 years, allowing licensed grocery and drug stores to obtain liquor li- censes for multiple locations and giving exist- ing liquor stores an opportunity to adjust to the changing market. Current law permits grocery and drug store chains a single liquor license for the entire state. That means that in all of Colo- rado, only one Walmart, Safeway, Rite Aid and Target location was permitted to sell alcoholic beverages. Courtney Lis of Voca PR, which handles public relations for the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, told Wines & Vines the new regulations "will not be like California, where wine's available at every corner store, but it's a good compromise—a middle ground that's fair to all the players." Colorado currently has 115 wineries, according to Wines Vines Analytics. "It's growing, and we're trying to get people to try our local wines," Lis said. Wines from other regions may also enjoy the wider distribution. The compromise was supported by the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS). Its media rep Eric Reller told Wines & Vines that the application process for additional licenses will be similar to current procedures. "It's a good compromise that has been in the works for a long time," he said. Prior to the new legislation, Walmart, Safe- way and King Soopers (a grocery chain operated by Kroger) had chipped in about $8 million each to put a measure on the ballot to expand sales. With SB 197 now signed into law, the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association said the ballot measure will be withdrawn. According to the description of the new law by the Colorado Licensed Beverage Board, a grocery store chain will be allowed 20 maxi- mum liquor licenses in the next 20 years, com- pared to just one as allowed by current law. If there are any existing liquor stores nearby (within 1,500 feet of a grocery store that the chain wants to sell liquor from), the company will have to buy those stores out before secur- ing a license for its store. If there aren't any liquor stores, the grocery store must still pur- chase two retail liquor licenses within the local jurisdiction. With the number of licenses slowly phasing in until 2037, the new law "gives 20 years for the marketplace to adjust and for retailers to recoup investments." —Jane Firstenfeld Colorado Lawmakers Agree to Phase in Retail Sales of Wine Grocery store chains in Colorado will be allowed up to 20 liquor licenses in the next 20 years, according to legislation recently signed by the governor. What's in the Package? Bill Lutz, Founder, Waterloo Container • Customer service before and after the sale • Experience to solve your problems • Extensive expertise in the wine packaging industry • Personalized inventory management and delivery planning • Package Branding Solutions 888-539-3922 • waterloocontainer.com YOUR CHOICE COLORADO