Indiana wineries could sell their products directly to retailors instead of through a third party source if a bill approved by the House becomes law.
The bill passed the House 94-1 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
HB 1387 – authored by Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper – would allow wineries to sell 5,000 gallons per year to retailers located within the same county as the winery or in neighboring counties.
Originally, the bill would have gone further, allowing wineries to sell to stores or restaurants all over the state without using a third-party distributor. But the Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, said restricting sales to a smaller area is a compromise among the wineries and wholesalers.
Currently, there are 76 farm wineries in Indiana that could be affected by the legislation.
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