Saturday, August 25, 2012

Old McDonald Sells Wine in Dry Tennessee Counties


Russellville Tennessee made history at the Tennessee ABC this summer with approval of the first Farm Winery License.

Russellville is an unincorporated community in Hamblen County, Tennessee, located along U.S. Route 11E, midway between Whitesburg and Morristown, and north of Knoxville. We suspect that the town is as dry as the day is long.

In it's infinite wisdom, in the 2012 Session, the Tennessee General Assembly legalized the sale of wine made from grapes grown on  farms, even in dry counties.

Old McDonald grows the grapes and contracts with a winery to make wine. He can then offer tastings of the wine at the farm and sell bottles of wine to tourists, and to locals.

Unlike traditional retail package stores, we see no restrictions on sales on Sunday, popular holidays like July 4, or late at night, after liquor stores are legally required to be closed. Of course, in a dry area, competition is limited only to beer.

The applicant, Katie Martin, has contracted with Hillside Winery in Sevierville to produce the wine on behalf of The Grape Barn at Nolichucky Vineyard.

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