Beer & Wine Tasting: At Grocery Stores Soon

Thank goodness the bills are better than the pilot. In the pilot, the store could hold no more than one tasting a month & could only adverstise them in the store. In Wenatchee, the one store in the pilot was across town & we never knew about the tastings.

In the new bills, more grocery stores can get the license endorsement, including “membership organizations that limit membership to persons over 18” (e.g., Costco). They are not limited as to the number of tastings. They can advertise their tastings in-store, on their websites, in their flyers, & by direct mail or e-mail, if the customer requests it (when you got your store card, remember that little box that asks if you want to receive promotional info?).

The one requirement that might give some groceries some pause is that the wine/beer can’t be provided by the manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor, so all the sampling is on the store’s dime.

And if you should wonder whether this will sell more wine/beer, why do you think Costco has so many food samples? Or Woodinville so many tasting rooms?