Law may aid small vintners

[P. Racko]

Wednesday, September 13, 2000 

                                         Law may aid small vintners 


                                         SACRAMENTO Long Beach area food lovers who frequent local farmers'
                                         markets could be the side beneficiaries of a new law designed to help the
                                         state's smallest winemakers.

                                         A bill signed by Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday allows winemakers to sell their
                                         products at open-air markets across the state.

                                         Although the law allows any winemaker to
                                         obtain the $40 sales permit, it is unlikely
                                         big-volume producers would take part:
                                         Sales are limited to one day per week at
                                         each market with a 5,000-gallon annual
                                         limit per vintner.

                                         Assemblywoman Helen Thompson,
                                         D-Davis, hopes the law will give small
                                         wineries a chance to sell their product
                                         away from their vineyards, which often are
                                         too remote to attract visitors.

                                         There are nearly 850 winemakers in
                                         California, but the top 25 producers dominate almost 98 percent of the market.

                                         --Will Shuck