Wine: Coming to a Grocery Store Near You

According to a recent article at TimesUnion.com, wine may be headed into New York's grocery stores for the first time ever. The sale of wine and beer in groceries has been a hot topic for years in the rest of the country, probably because more than 30 states in the union allow it already. But New York has been one of the few states holding back, requiring that wine and spirits are to be sold exclusively in liquor stores. Now that New York is facing somewhat of a budgetary crisis however . . . it looks like newly-made Governor Paterson may sign legislation getting rid of the old rules. The idea is that the state stands to make a whole lot of money by selling licenses to chain-grocery stores and independents looking to widen their stock. The good news for vino enthusiasts is that with more sellers . . . there's more competition . . . and with more competition . . . prices go down. Here's a snippet from the article:

"At long, long last, New York will likely join 35 other states in allowing the sale of wine as well as beer in grocery stores. That's if a Paterson revenue-raising proposal passes the Legislature. In the current economic climate, with government scrambling for every dime as it stares at a $51 billion shortfall over the next four years, chances are deemed very good that will happen. This would bring in an estimated $100 million to $200 million a year in additional franchise fees from stores who want to add wine to their wares."