Without Assembly vote, vintners fear wine industry will wither on the vine
Garden State winemakers are voicing new frustrations after a legislative setback last week that effectively keeps the industry in legal limbo.
The state Assembly last week failed to vote on a bill, passed by the state Senate, to allow small wineries to ship their product directly to customers, and also would have let wineries open off-site tasting rooms to sell their wines. The bill had the backing of Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford).
Ollie Tomasello, who owns Plagido's Winery, in Hammontown, and serves as president of the Garden State Wine Growers Association, said he was optimistic Wednesday after the bill cleared the Senate. That excitement turned to frustration when the bill withered in the Assembly.
"When it got to the Assembly and stalled, then we became disappointed," Tomasello said. "It's just very disheartening."
In December, a federal appeals court struck down a New Jersey law that would have allowed in-state wineries to open off-site sales rooms, while banning out-of-state wineries from doing the same. The court ruled that distinguishing between in-state and out-of-state wineries violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
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