Four-fifths of New York Wants to Buy Wine at the Supermarket: Siena Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — A Siena College poll found that 78% of New Yorkers support letting grocery stores sell wine.

The survey reached 803 registered voters through calls and online responses from January 27 to 30 and marked a big jump in support from 2023. Support grew among every group across party lines, gender, age, and region, with only 15% opposing the idea. Among that 15% opposition, 24% of them softened their stance after learning about a proposal to incentivize selling wines from New York. That shift pushed total support above 80%.

Bill to Allow Grocery Stores to Sell Wine

Given the results of that poll, a cadre of grocers, vineyard owners, and agricultural groups —The “New York State of Wine” coalition—threw support behind a bill that let shoppers pick up wine with their other food shopping. State Sen. Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Pamela Hunter reintroduced the bill in the beginning of January when the Legislative Session kicked off for the year.

S1279/A1328

S1279/A1328 creates a supermarket wine license, letting eligible stores—spanning at least 5,000 square feet and earning at least 65% of revenue from food—sell sealed containers of wine. Applicants have to fork over a $10,000 one-time fee plus an annual fee based on 0.5% of previous year’s wine sales—excluding New York-made wines. That exclusion translates to a discount on annual license fees if the store promotes wine made in-state.

License Requirements

To apply for the new license under the proposed measure, establishments would have to already have a retail license to sell beer. And the system would still maintain strict ID checks, just like grocery stores already safely do for beer. But the bill does allow employees at stores with the wine license who are under age 18 to sell, handle, or deliver wine under direct supervision.

Wine Tastings and Sales

Stores are not supposed to serve wine; sales are meant for off-premises consumption. But license holders can offer wine tastings if supervised by an official agent of a farm winery, wholesaler, or importer.

Conclusion

If passed in both houses of the legislature and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the bill would take effect immediately. It’s supposed to expand access while supporting local businesses and working families. And it’s not supposed to cut into the market share for liquor stores.

FAQs

• What is the current law regarding wine sales in New York?
• What is the proposal to change the law?
• How does the proposal benefit local businesses and working families?
• Will the proposal cut into the market share for liquor stores?
• What is the current level of support for the proposal among New Yorkers?

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