Midwest Wine Press

Illinois Wine and Beer Associations Work Together To Improve Regulations

by · November 14, 2011

A legislative reception in the Illinois state capital of Springfield last week was jointly sponsored  by the Illinois Grape Growers Association (IGGVA) and the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild according to a letter from IGGVA President Bruce Morgenstern in the  November 14th Illinois Wine Weekly Newsletter.   According to the letter, there are four legislative issues both organizations would like to pursue in 2012:

  • Increase the limit at which a winery can self distribute from 25,000 to 50,000 gallons and also increase the self distribution limit from 5,000 to 10,000 gallons.
  • Create an annual special use license for wineries.  Currently, wineries in Illinois must apply for a separate state license for each festival in which they participate.
  • Increasing the 100,000 gallon cap on tasting room sales.  Currently there is no provision that would allow wineries over 100,000 gallons to sell directly to the public via a tasting room.   IGGVA reports two wineries in Illinois are approaching 100,000 gallons but did not specify the wineries.
  • Limit the use of the term “Illinois Winery” to address concerns that retailers and out-of-state wineries are misleading visitors by calling themselves Illinois wineries.

 

 

 

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Mark Ganchiff

Mark Ganchiff is the publisher of Midwest Wine Press, the leading source of news on the growing wine industry in the central United States. Mark has been a wine judge at the 2012 and 2014 INDY International Wine Competition, the 2014 Cold Climate Wine Competition, the 2013 Mid-American Wine Competition, the 2012 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the 2013 Michigan Wine Competition. He also enjoys speaking at wine events including the Cold Climate Wine Conference, the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Meeting, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Mark's articles about regional wine have appeared in Vineyard & Winery Management, WineMaker and several regional magazines. Mark is a Level One Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives in Louisville, but also has a residence in Chicago.

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