Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has been busy lately. She signed 12 new bills into law yesterday. Hidden in the middle of the press release her office sent out was Senate Bill 212, "an act concerning alcoholic beverages" and more specifically, "concerning shipment of wines."
Let's take a closer look at the eight-page bill (PDF), which significantly changes the wine-law landscape in Kansas.
The most important part is at the beginning: "Any winery may be authorized to make direct shipments of wine to consumers in this state upon obtaining a special order shipping license from the secretary pursuant to this act." So yes, it will be legal to ship wine from out of state to Kansas or for wineries in Kansas to ship to residents.
But there are some caveats. First, if you notice the language above, it says "wineries" can be authorized to ship. That leaves out third-party dealers like Woot! Wine and Wine.com. Also, the amount you can buy is limited to "12 standard cases of wine of one brand or a combination of brands" from a winery per year.
To ensure expensive cabernets stay out of minors' hands, every shipment has to be marked "alcoholic beverage" and requires a signature from somebody 21 or over.
Just as important, a later section allows people with farm winery licenses to ship outside the state "wine manufactured by the licensee, provided that the licensee complies with applicable laws and rules and regulations of the jurisdiction to which the wine is shipped." As Michelle Meyer of Holy-Field Winery explained last year, the old law required an entirely different license for Kansas wineries to ship their goods. This should make it significantly easier for people in other parts of country to taste what Kansas can grow.
And there is more. Section two states that "any person who is licensed to sell wine pursuant to K.S.A. 41-308a ... may apply to the director for an annual bona fide farmers' market sales permit. Such permit shall authorize ... the licensee to sell wine." So wineries like Meyers' or Wyldewood Cellars can sell at approved farmers' markets.
The law also contains a section allowing drinking establishments to store on their premises wine that customers have bought. And it will "allow the consumption of
alcoholic liquor at special events when a temporary liquor permit has been issued
for such event."
What a day for wineries and wine drinkers all over the state!
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Hear that buzzing sound?
That's Carrie Nation spinning in her grave. Hey, free renewable energy! Keep bringing Kansas liquor laws away from prohibition, wrap a generator belt around Carrie's bones, who needs a coal burning generator?
Now, let Kansas grocery stores sell the same wine, beer and liquor that they sell in Missouri.
I second that! While my Red X and Lukas trips usually satiate my wine needs, it's nice knowing I finally have the option of buying a couple bottles of pinot from the tiny Oregon wineries we visited a couple years ago.
More than that, I'm glad that Holyfield's horizons have expanded immensely. They're a great local company who you can't help but root for. Go to one of their jazz events this summer and you'll see what I mean.
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