ATLANTA - Georgians would be able to go online and purchase up to 12 cases of wine a year directly from wineries, under a bill that's now headed to Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The bill passed in the state Senate 40-6 on Monday. It's already passed in the House.
Perdue doesn't drink and is opposed to repealing the state's blue law banning alcohol sales at grocery stores on Sundays. It's unknown if he'll sign the online wine bill.
Thirty-seven other states already allow direct sales online from wineries.
State Senator Renee Unterman said she had received thousands of letter and e-mails pressing for online wine sales. The Republican from Buford said it would be a boost to north Georgia's wineries. Without the change in the law, Georgia wineries would no longer be able to ship their product to out-of-state consumers.
Separately, the Senate voted 35-6 to allow winery tasting rooms to also sell beer and liquor.
On The Net:
H.B. 1061 and H.B. 393: www.legis.ga.gov
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Posted: Monday, March 31st 2008 at 4:42pm
