New York Lawmakers Want to Let You Buy Wine at the Grocery Store—Here’s the Twist

Imagine picking up a bottle of your favorite bottle of Bully Hill or Brotherhood wine alongside your bread and eggs, no extra stop at the liquor store needed. Sounds convenient, right?

Well, a new bill introduced in the New York State Senate could make that scenario a reality. But before you start dreaming about a wine aisle at your local Hannaford, there's a twist you need to know about. Because while the bill opens the door to grocery store wine sales, it's not quite the free-for-all some might expect.

Here’s what’s actually in the bill—and what it means for shoppers, small wineries, and local businesses across the state.

Bill to Allow Wine Sales at Grocery Stores in New York

A newly introduced bill in the New York State Senate could finally put wine in grocery stores. Senate Bill S.7398, sponsored by Senator George Borrello, proposes the creation of a grocery store wine license.

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Under current law, wine sales are limited to licensed liquor stores, but this bill would change that. If the bill passes, grocery stores could sell locally produced wine giving a major boost to New York's thriving wine regions like the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and Long Island.

How It Works

• Who Can Apply? Grocery stores that are already licensed to sell beer would be eligible for the new wine license.

• What Can They Sell? Only wine that’s made in New York or from New York-grown ingredients.

• What’s the Catch? Stores must pay a $10,000 one-time franchise fee to apply, and an annual fee based on wine sales (0.5%).

• Wine Tastings Allowed: Grocery stores could also host wine tastings, provided a licensed winery or importer is on-site during the event.

A Controversial Change

The proposal is expected to generate both support and pushback. Independent liquor store owners may raise concerns about losing business to large grocery chains, while advocates for small wineries see the bill as a long-overdue opportunity for exposure in a competitive market.

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The New York State Liquor Authority would be responsible for issuing and regulating the new licenses and if passed, the legislation would go into effect immediately. This could potentially allow wine lovers to shop their favorite New York vintages alongside groceries by this summer.

A Toast to Local Vineyards

The bill is designed to support New York's wine industry, which includes hundreds of vineyards and wineries across regions like the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and Long Island. By expanding the retail footprint of local wines into high-traffic grocery aisles, lawmakers hope to boost sales, improve visibility for smaller wine producers, and increase consumer access to New York-grown products.

As the bill moves through committee and into legislative debate, all eyes will be on Albany to see if New York becomes the next state to uncork grocery store wine sales.