Proposed Bill would support wine tourism in New Zealand

New Zealand Winegrowers is thrilled the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill, proposed by Stuart Smith MP, has been drawn from the Member’s Bill Ballot today.

New Zealand Winegrowers has had longstanding concerns about aspects of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act as they apply to winery cellar doors. This Bill would help to address some of our key concerns for wineries.

We congratulate Stuart Smith MP on having this Bill drawn from the ballot. As the Member of Parliament for New Zealand’s largest wine region, he understands first-hand the importance of this proposal.

Winery cellar doors are an important part of wine tourism, yet the current legislation does not permit wineries holding an off-licence to charge for tastings. “The current legislation is out of date,” says Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. “It either forces wineries to give wine away for free, or forces them to go through significant cost and time to acquire and maintain a separate on-licence.”

“We are hopeful that through the parliamentary process we can get modern, fit for purpose legislation that will support wine tourism in the winemaking regions throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.”

“Winery cellar doors have been hit hard by the collapse in international tourist numbers over the past two years. This regulatory change would ensure that they can provide exemplary winery cellar door services to both domestic and international tourists, without the unnecessary extra red-tape.”

“With over 600 small wineries in New Zealand, this will make a big difference, and will encourage more cellar doors to open for the enjoyment of returning international wine tourists. Additionally, by allowing charging for tastings, the industry sees this as consistent with the low-risk winery cellar door licensing status and supporting responsible consumption.”

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