HB149 Summary

• Establishes farm winery licenses with an annual fee of $150, allowing licensed farm wineries to sell table wine at retail for on-premises and off-premises consumption and at wholesale to wine wholesalers, importers, or the ABC Board.

• Permits farm wineries to operate up to two additional retail locations apart from the primary manufacturing location without being required to manufacture or bottle wine at those locations.

• Allows farm wineries to purchase tax-paid table wine and beer at wholesale, purchase brandy for wine fortification, sell wine outside Alabama, and dispense samples at up to five farmers markets or municipal licensed events annually (not exceeding 5 consecutive days or 30 total days per year).

• Imposes a $0.45 per liter excise tax on table wine bottled and sold by farm wineries for on-premises and off-premises consumption or retail delivery, with $0.38 per liter remitted to the state board and $0.07 per liter to counties or municipalities.

• Amends wine retailer regulations to allow purchases from farm wineries in addition to the ABC Board and licensed wholesalers, and clarifies that farm winery license holders are included in the definition of manufacturers.