Parliament has overwhelmingly supported the first reading of a Members Bill to streamline the process required for wineries to sell samples at the cellar door, National’s Viticulture spokesperson Stuart Smith says.

“The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill will mean that winery cellar doors will be able to charge visitors for wine samples without having to secure a separate on-license and all the costs associated with that.

“Although a small change, this will make a big difference to New Zealand’s wineries which contribute significantly to regional tourism.

“New Zealand’s wine industry, worth almost $2.5 billion, has grown remarkably over the past 20 years, particularly the cellar door tourism experiences. Today, wine samples are becoming more common at cellar doors, but the old legislation hasn’t been updated to accommodate this.

“By tiding up the legislation and allowing wineries to charge for samples without obtaining an on-licence, it will encourage more cellar doors to open for the enjoyment of tourists and those wanting to taste New Zealand wines – a big boost for our small wineries in particular.

“I look forward to hearing from submitters on the Bill as it now moves to Select Committee.”

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