TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A bill that would widen the availability of high-end wines by the glass is moving forward through the Florida legislature.
The Florida Wine Canister Act (SB 658) unanimously passed the Regulated Industries Committee on Thursday, March 7. The bill would allow distributors to make and sell "wine kegs" or large containers of wine. "
This measure won't allow the public to purchase the big canisters of wine directly, but it will allow the distributors to sell the kegs to bars and restaurants. This will allow the bars and restaurants to offer high-end wines by the glass, because they will have the vintages "on-tap" in a keg rather than opening an entire bottle for a single glass. Once a wine bottle is open, the beverage typically spoils faster.
"The committee members agreed that by updating these statutes, which were written just after the prohibition era, the Legislature would effectively allow Florida's hospitality industry to proceed with custom tailored wine by the glass programs through innovative new methods and with technology manufactured within my district," said Senator Simpson, who filed the bill. "I am very pleased that all of the committee members recognized that these canisters benefit consumers, our tourism industry and the environment and I look forward to having the bill heard in the Commerce Committee."
