Effective January 1, 2011, California off-sale retailers will be eligible for a $300 instructional tasting license that will allow wine, beer and spirits suppliers to conduct free consumer tastings on the retail premises.

The instructional tasting license will be available to most off-sale retailers. Off-sale retailers with a gas station are not eligible unless the retail store is over 10,000 sq. ft. Premises under 5,000 sq. ft. are not eligible unless 75% of gross sales on the premises are alcohol. This will tend to exclude convenience stores and small markets but will enable small wine and liquor stores to obtain the license. Permits may also be denied to retailers in “overconcentrated” areas, i.e., locations with more than the statutorily authorized number of ABC licenses.

Retailers obtaining the permit must separate the tasting area with a barrier and post signage prohibiting minors from entering the tasting area. The retailer is responsible for making sure no minors are in the tasting area and no open containers leave the tasting area. Tastings may only be conducted between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., provided the retail license allows sale of alcohol within that time period.

The tastings must be free, and sample size is limited as follows:

	Sample Limitations
Beer	8 oz. per person per day
Wine	3 tastings per person per day, 1 oz. per sample
Spirits	3 tastings per person per day, ¼ oz. per sample

Each tasting event can only involve one class of product and one “authorized licensee” tasting per retailer per day, so a single tasting event may not combine beer and wine tastings or multiple suppliers. “Authorized licensees” who may conduct the tastings are California licensed: winegrowers, winegrower’s agents, beer and wine importer generals, beer and wine wholesalers, wine rectifiers, distilled spirits manufacturers, distilled spirits manufacturer’s agents, distilled spirits importer generals, distilled spirits rectifiers, distilled spirits general rectifiers, rectifiers, out-of-state distilled spirits shipper’s certificate holders, distilled spirits wholesalers, brandy manufacturers, brandy importers, California brandy wholesalers, beer manufacturers, or an out –of-state beer manufacturer certificate holders.

The alcohol tastes are to be served by the “authorized licensee” or her/his agent. The exception is that beer and wine wholesalers, though “authorized licensees”, may not serve tastes unless they hold additional licenses. Wine and spirits for the tasting may be supplied by the “authorized licensee” or bought from the retailer at the original invoiced cost. Beer cannot be provided by an “authorized licensee”, but may be purchased from the retailer at invoice cost. Unused product must be removed at the conclusion of the tasting.

An “authorized licensee” must be present for the tasting, unless the event has been previously advertised and the “authorized licensee” can’t attend. On that note, the “authorized licensee” can advertise the retailer event in advance, subject to restrictions. Retailers are also allowed to advertise the events on their own initiative. Special rules apply if the off-sale retailer already has a Type 42 on-sale license for a tasting bar.

For the complete rules, see Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §23396.6 and §25503.56.

If you would like assistance in applying for the instructional tasting license, please contact licensing paralegal Lindsay McCarthy at [email protected].

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