76-a. Farm winery license. 1. Any person may apply to the liquor authority for a farm winery license as provided for in this article. Such application shall be in writing and verified and shall contain such information as the liquor authority shall require. Such application shall be accompanied by a check or draft for the amount required by this article for such license. If the liquor authority shall grant the application it shall issue a license in such form as shall be determined by its rules.
2. A farm winery license shall authorize the holder thereof to:
(a) operate a farm winery for the manufacture of wine or cider at the premises specifically designated in the license;
(b) sell in bulk from the licensed premises the products manufactured under such license to any winery licensee, any other farm winery licensee, any distiller licensee or to a permittee engaged in the manufacture of products which are unfit for beverage use and to sell or deliver such wine to persons outside the state pursuant to the laws of the place of such sale or delivery;
(c) sell from the licensed premises to a licensed winery, farm distiller, farm brewery, farm cidery, wholesaler or retailer, or to a corporation operating railroad cars or aircraft for consumption on such carriers, or at retail for consumption off the premises, wine or cider manufactured by the licensee as above set forth and to sell or deliver such wine or cider to persons outside the state pursuant to the laws of the place of such sale or delivery. All wine or cider sold by such licensee for consumption off the premises shall be securely sealed and have attached thereto a label setting forth such information as shall be required by this chapter;
(d) operate, or use the services of, a custom crush facility as defined in subdivision nine-a of section three of this chapter;
(e) sell at the licensed premises cider and wine manufactured by the licensee or any other licensed farm winery, and beer and spirits manufactured by any licensed farm brewery or farm distillery, at retail for consumption on or off the licensed premises;
(f) operate a restaurant, hotel, catering establishment, or other food and drinking establishment in or adjacent to the licensed premises and sell at such place, at retail for consumption on the premises, wine, cider and wine products manufactured by the licensee and any New York state labeled wine, New York state labeled cider or New York state labeled wine product. All of the provisions of this chapter relative to licenses to sell wine at retail for consumption on the premises shall apply so far as applicable to such licensee. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the licensed winery may apply to the authority for a license under article four of this chapter to sell other alcoholic beverages at retail for consumption on the premises at such establishment.
3. (a) Any person having applied for and received a license as a farm winery under this section may conduct wine tastings of New York state labelled wines in establishments licensed under section sixty-three of this chapter and section seventy-nine of this article to sell wine for off-premises consumption. Such farm winery may charge a fee for each wine sample tasted. The state liquor authority shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding such tastings as provided for in this subdivision.
(b) Any person having applied for and received a license as a farm winery under this section may conduct wine tastings of New York state labelled wines and apply to the liquor authority for a permit to sell wine produced by such farm winery, by the bottle, during such tastings in establishments licensed under sections sixty-four and sixty-four-a of this chapter and section eighty-one or section eighty-one-a of this article to sell wine for consumption on the premises. Such farm winery may charge a fee of no more than twenty-five cents for each wine sample tasted. The state liquor authority shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding such tastings as provided for in this subdivision.
(c) Tastings shall be conducted subject to the following limitations:
(i) wine tastings shall be conducted by an official agent, representative or solicitor of one or more farm wineries. Such agent, representative or solicitor shall be physically present at all times during the conduct of the tastings; and
(ii) any liability stemming from a right of action resulting from a wine tasting as authorized herein and in accordance with the provisions of sections 11-100 and 11-101 of the general obligations law, shall accrue to the farm winery.
(d) (i) Any person having applied for and received a license as a farm winery under this section may conduct wine tastings of New York state labelled wines and sell such wine by the bottle, during such tasting, for off-premises consumption at outdoor or indoor gatherings, functions, occasions or events, within the hours fixed by or pursuant to subdivision fourteen of section one hundred five of this chapter, sponsored by a bona fide charitable organization. For the purposes of this paragraph, a bona fide charitable organization shall mean and include any bona fide religious or charitable organization or bona fide educational, fraternal or service organization or bona fide organization of veterans or volunteer firefighters, which by its charter, certificate of incorporation, constitution, or act of the legislature, shall have among its dominant purposes one or more of the lawful purposes as defined in subdivision five of section one hundred eighty-six of the general municipal law.
(ii) Upon application, the liquor authority shall issue an annual permit authorizing such farm winery to participate in such outdoor or indoor gatherings, functions, occasions or events sponsored by a charitable organization. The farm winery must give the authority written or electronic notice of the date, time and specific location of each tasting at least fifteen days prior to the tasting. A farm winery that obtains a permit to conduct such wine tastings does not need to apply for or obtain a temporary beer or wine permit pursuant to section ninety-seven of this chapter or any other permit to conduct such a tasting or to sell wine by the bottle for off-premises consumption at such tastings.
(iii) Such farm winery may charge a fee for each wine sample tasted. Tastings shall be conducted by an official agent, representative or solicitor of such farm winery. The state liquor authority may adopt rules and regulations regarding such tastings as provided in this subdivision.
4. (a) A farm winery license shall authorize the holder thereof to manufacture, bottle and sell fruit juice, fruit jellies and fruit preserves, tonics, salad dressings and unpotable wine sauces on and from the licensed premises.
(b) Such license shall authorize the holder thereof to store and sell gift items in a tax-paid room upon the licensed premises incidental to the sale of wine. These gift items shall be limited to the following categories:
(1) Non-alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off premises, including but not limited to bottled water, juice and soda beverages.
(2) Food items for the purpose of complimenting wine tastings, shall mean a diversified selection of food which is ordinarily consumed without the use of tableware and can conveniently be consumed while standing or walking. Such food items shall include but not be limited to: cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, breads and crackers.
(3) Food items, which shall include locally produced farm products and any food or food product not specifically prepared for immediate consumption upon the premises. Such food items may be combined into a package containing wine or a wine product.
(4) Wine supplies and accessories, which shall include any item utilized for the storage, serving or consumption of wine or for decorative purposes. These supplies may be sold as single items or may be combined into a package containing wine or a wine product.
(5) Souvenir items, which shall include, but not be limited to artwork, crafts, clothing, agricultural products and any other articles which can be construed to propagate tourism within the region.
(6) New York state labelled wine or liquors produced or manufactured by any other New York state winery or farm winery licensee or by the holder of any distiller's license. Such wine or liquors may be purchased outright by the licensee from a New York winery or farm winery licensee or the holder of any distiller's license or obtained on a consignment basis pursuant to a written agreement between the selling and purchasing licensee.
(7) Wine-making equipment and supplies including, but not limited to, grapes, grape juice, grape must, home wine-making kits, presses, pumps, bottling equipment, filters, yeasts, chemicals and other wine additives, wine storage or fermenting vessels, barrels, and books or other written material to assist wine-makers and home wine-makers to produce and bottle wine.
(c) The authority is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this subdivision.
(d) A licensed farm winery may engage in any other business on the licensed premises subject to such rules and regulations as the liquor authority may prescribe. In prescribing such rules and regulations, the liquor authority shall promote the expansion and profitability of wine production and of tourism in New York, thereby promoting the conservation, production and enhancement of New York state agricultural lands. Further, such rules and regulations shall determine which businesses will be compatible with the policy and purposes of this chapter and shall consider the effect of particular businesses on the community and area in the vicinity of the farm winery licensee.
(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, any farm winery licensee may charge:
(i) For tours of its premises; and
(ii) For any wine tastings.
5. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, no licensed farm winery shall manufacture or sell any wine not produced exclusively from grapes or other fruits or agricultural products grown or produced in New York state.
(b) In the event that the commissioner of agriculture and markets, after investigating and compiling information pursuant to subdivision forty-two of section sixteen of the agriculture and markets law, determines that a natural disaster, act of God, or continued adverse weather condition has destroyed no less than forty percent of a specific grape varietal grown or produced in New York state and used for winemaking, the commissioner, in consultation with the chairman of the state liquor authority, may give authorization to a duly licensed farm winery to manufacture or sell wine produced from grapes grown outside this state. No such authorization shall be granted to a farm winery licensee unless such licensee certifies to the commissioner the quantity of New York grown grapes unavailable to such licensee due to such natural disaster, act of God or continuing adverse weather condition and satisfies the commissioner that reasonable efforts were made to obtain grapes from a New York state source for such wine making purpose. No farm winery shall utilize an amount of out-of-state grown grapes or juice exceeding the amount of New York grown grapes that such winery is unable to obtain due to the destruction of New York grown grapes by a natural disaster, act of God or continuing adverse weather condition as determined by the commissioner of agriculture and markets pursuant to this subdivision. For purposes of this subdivision, the department of agriculture and markets and the state liquor authority are authorized to adopt rules and regulations as they may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this subdivision which shall include ensuring that in manufacturing wine farm wineries utilize grapes grown or produced in New York state to the extent they are reasonably available, prior to utilizing grapes or juice from an out-of-state source for such purpose.
(c) The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall make available to farm wineries and to the public each specific grape varietal loss determination issued pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision on or before August twentieth of each year.
(d) In the event that the continuing effects of a natural disaster, act of God, or adverse weather condition which occurred prior to August twentieth of each year or the effects of a natural disaster, act of God, or adverse weather condition which occurs subsequent to August twentieth each year results in any grape varietal loss which meets the standards provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, the commissioner of agriculture and markets, in consultation shall with the chairman of the state liquor authority, may issue additional grape varietal loss determinations and shall expeditiously make available to farm wineries and to the public each specific grape varietal loss determination issued pursuant to this paragraph prior to October tenth of each year.
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a farm winery license shall authorize the holder thereof to:
(a) Offer for sale or solicit any order in the state for the sale of any New York state labelled wine manufactured by the licensee or any other winery or farm winery licensed pursuant to this article.
(b) Engage as a broker in the purchase and sale of New York state labelled wines for a fee or commission for or on behalf of any winery or farm winery licensed pursuant to this article.
(c) Maintain a warehouse on the premises pursuant to section ninety-six of this chapter for the warehousing of any New York state labelled wines manufactured by any winery or farm winery licensed pursuant to this article. Any winery or farm winery that maintains such a warehouse must comply with the provisions of section ninety-six of this chapter.
(d) Deliver or transport any New York state labelled wine manufactured or produced by the licensee or any other winery or farm winery licensed pursuant to this article in any vehicle owned, leased or hired by the licensee. The New York state labelled wine can be delivered, transported or sold by the licensee to any holder of: (i) a winery or farm winery license, (ii) a license to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, (iii) a license to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, (iv) or any person that can receive or purchase wine from a farm winery. The licensee is not required to obtain from the liquor authority a trucking permit or pay any fees pursuant to section ninety-four of this chapter.
(e) Sell for consumption off the premises New York state labelled liquors manufactured by the holder of a class A-1, B-1, or C distiller's license.
(f) Conduct tastings of New York state labelled liquors manufactured by the holder of a class A-1, B-1, or C distiller's license. All liquor tastings conducted pursuant to this paragraph shall be conducted in the same manner as tastings of brandy pursuant to section seventy-six-e of this article.
(g) Conduct tastings of and sell at retail for consumption off the premises New York state labelled beer manufactured by a licensed brewer or farm brewery.
(h) Conduct tastings of and sell at retail for consumption off the premises New York state labelled cider manufactured by a licensed brewer, licensed farm brewery, licensed farm winery, licensed cider producer or licensed farm cidery.
7. The holder of a license issued under this section may operate up to five branch offices located away from the licensed farm winery. Such locations, although not required to be on a farm, shall be considered part of the licensed premises and all activities allowed at and limited to the farm winery may be conducted at the branch offices. Such branch offices shall not be located within, share a common entrance and exit with, or have any interior access to any other business, including premises licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail. Prior to commencing operation of any such branch office, the licensee shall notify the authority of the location of such branch office and the authority may issue a permit for the operation of same. Such branch offices shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivision two, three or four of section seventy-nine of this article or the provisions of subdivisions two and three, and paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision ten of section one hundred five of this chapter.
8. (a) No licensed farm winery shall manufacture in excess of two hundred fifty thousand finished gallons of wine annually.
(b) Any person licensed under this section shall manufacture at least fifty gallons of wine per year.
9. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a farm winery licensed pursuant to this section may engage in custom wine production allowing individuals to assist in the production of wine for sale for personal or family use, provided, however, that (a) the wine must be purchased by the individual assisting in the production of such wine; and (b) the owner, employee or agent of such winery shall be present at all times during such production.
10. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a farm winery license shall authorize the holder thereof to sell wines manufactured or produced by such licensee to a roadside farm market pursuant to section seventy-six-f of this article.
Last modified: February 3, 2019