Wine Fair, Festival & Special Events

The commissioner may issue a special license for the retail sale of wine at any festival or fair which is endorsed or sponsored by the governing body of a municipality or a county commission. Such special license shall be issued for a term of no longer than ten consecutive days and the fee therefor shall be two hundred fifty dollars regardless of the term of the license unless the applicant is the manufacturer of said wine on a winery or a farm winery as defined in section five-a, article one of this chapter, in which event the fee shall be fifty dollars if the event is held on the premises of the winery or farm winery. The application for such license shall contain such information as the commissioner may reasonably require and shall be submitted  to the commissioner at least thirty days prior to the first day when wine is to be sold at such festival or fair. A winery or a farm winery licensed under this subsection may exhibit, conduct tastings, not to exceed a reasonable serving, and may sell wine only for consumption off the premises of such festival or fair. A special license issued other than to a winery or a farm winery may be issued to a "wine club" as defined herein below. The festival or fair committee or the governing body shall designate a person to organize a club under a name which includes the name of the festival or fair and the words "wine club". The license shall be issued in the name of the wine club. A licensee may not commence the sale of wine as provided in this subsection until the wine club has at least fifty dues-paying members who have been enrolled and to whom membership cards have been issued. Thereafter, new members may be enrolled and issued membership cards at any time during the period for which the license is issued. A wine club licensed under the provisions of this subsection may sell wine only to its members, and in portions not to exceed eight ounces per serving. Such sales shall take place on premises or in an area cordoned or segregated so as to be closed to the general public, and the general public shall not be admitted to such premises or area. A wine club licensee under the provisions of this subsection shall be authorized to serve complimentary samples of wine in moderate quantities for tasting.

The privileges, duties and responsibilities for the retail sale and serving of wine is detailed in Legislative Rule CSR 175-4 and authorized by West Virginia Code §60-8.

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