Sitting in front of a wall of wine and flanked by enormous wine bottles, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Thursday that permits the retail sale of much larger bottles of wine in Florida.
The measure was sponsored by state Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, and DeSantis signed it into law at a Fort Lauderdale wine store in LaMarca’s district.
LaMarca also said it never made sense to him to “criminalize” the sale of wine simply based on container size, adding that people should have the right to buy wine in the size bottles they want.
And, he said, there was a personal element as well.
“This is an Italian American-owned business, an Italian American governor, an Italian American state representative,” LaMarca said. “Wine is a big part of our culture, whether it’s the Italian side or the American side.”
New law
Current state law prohibits sale of wine in an individual container that holds more than one gallon, which is about 3.8 liters.
(It allows wine sales in reusable containers of 5.16 gallons. The limit doesn’t apply to sales between distributors and manufacturers.)
Effective July 1, the new law allows the sale of wine in much larger containers. They must be glass.
Newly allowed sizes:
- Rehoboam, 4.5 liters, equivalent to six bottles.
- Methuselah, 6 liters, eight bottles.
- Salmanazar, 9 liters, 12 bottles.
- Nebuchadnezzar, 15 liters, equivalent to 20 bottles or almost four gallons.
DeSantis said he initially wasn’t sure that people would buy the newly allowed sizes, but wine industry representatives said they’re popular for some weddings and special celebrations.
Legislative battle
The measure received overwhelming approval earlier this year in the Florida House of Representatives and state Senate, with only one “no” vote.
But the final result made it look deceptively simple.
It’s the fifth legislative session LaMarca has pursued the measure, which both he and DeSantis have said was more controversial than people would realize.
Online sales were already allowed, and DeSantis said some interests didn’t want the law changed. “There really was no public policy reason why we should have this regulation,” the governor said. “There were businesses that had developed around the old regime and when you try to make reforms it just gets complicated in the (Legislature).”
He credited LaMarca’s perseverance.
“This seemed like a really easy thing, right? We’re just going to repeal this small part of licensing,” LaMarca explained, adding he encountered factions of lobbyists and businesses who didn’t want the change.
Wine fan?
Before and after signing the legislation, DeSantis stood at a lectern with a sign proclaiming “Carpe Vinum” or enjoy wine.
The governor explained that wine has been part of U.S. history, and was “near and dear to the hearts of a lot of people that founded this country,” including George Washington.
He also appeared to have some personal wine knowledge.
After signing the legislation, DeSantis joined in a toast to the new law, seeming to enjoy the glass of red. “Some tannins, right,” he said after his first sip. After finishing the glass, he said the beverage was “usually not part of my morning routine just so everybody knows.”
Andrew Lampasone, the owner of Wine Watch and a longtime friend of LaMarca’s, said the signing of the law at his store “is the coolest that’s happened at Wine Watch, ever.”
What is it?
State laws can be detailed, and the legislative analysis of the new law includes a description of just what is wine.
“‘Wine’ is defined as all beverages made from fresh fruits, berries, or grapes, either by natural fermentation or by natural fermentation with brandy added, in the manner required by the laws and regulations of the United States, and includes all sparkling wines, champagnes, combination of the aforesaid beverages, sake, vermouths, and like products. Sugar, flavors, and coloring materials may be added to wine to make it conform to the consumer’s taste, except that the ultimate flavor or the color of the product may not be altered to imitate a beverage other than wine or to change the character of the wine.”
Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Facebook, Threads.net and Post.news.
