NO MORE WINE DINNERS AND WINE TASTING EVENTS!

[Marc Guillotte]

There is a recent bulliton sent out from the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations which will, in all honesty curb and restrict wine dinners and events. It has 'interpreted' the current law on wine tastings to forbid retail accounts to aid in the promotion of any wine dinner or event, taking a large incentive for the distributors to be involved. It was written and enforced on behalf of a large do nothing retailer, no longer to be named who has no participation in true wine culture and would prefer us all to be drinking yellow tail. They have to my knowledge never conducted a wine dinner or serious wine event and now would like everyone else to follow suit. This recent interpretition of law is bad for consummers and business. check it out for yourself. I had to cancel a recreation of the dinner of the movie Big Night because of this. Savory Grape was hassled in their attempt at a wine dinner at a byob. Check it out yourself.

http://www.dbr.state.ri.us/documents/news/commercial_licensing/Comm...

[Marc Guillotte]

I have to think that in this current economic climate, small businesses have to find new ways to connect with customers. As owners and managers of wines shops, we have to have alternatives for our regulars other than nationally distributed wines for the consummors sake and well as our own. There is no margin on wines that are everywhere, and, because they are everywhere, so are our customers. They chase the sale because in RI how far do they really have to go. If they chase the sale, we chase the deal and eventually only the distributors makes a good living. So the only logical choice for a wine shop in Rhode Island to do is sell lesser known wines--hand sell wines--that are smaller production, newer wines from emerging wine regions and wine makers who need to build or finds customers too. This is a partnership of mutual benifits. A new importer with fresh wines for the market needs to find customers. We can make a reasonable profits selling them if we are willing to do the work promoting them. These wines need to be tasted. They need seminars and wine dinners and lots of attention, becasue there is no ad campaign, there are no free t shirts. There is only the wine and the people who enjoy it. Restricting wine events is resticting the opportunities for small shops to compete, and for any store to develop better business stategies. The real question is 'who benifits from this in Rhode Island?'. Not the consummer, and not the tax payer. Why go out of the way to stop an established business practice?

[Andrea Sloan]

These rules make no sense at all. Talk about another way to kill business in RI. I think those of us in the wine biz may have to make some calls.

[Marc Guillotte]

I would start asking questions Monday, addressed to local state representatives. I would talk to ypur local wine store. If you are an owner or manager of a wine shop and you haven't had a wine dinner, or wine event. If you haven't helped a fundraiser or sponsored an event, that what have you done. Why would they restrict the fine wine trade in Rhode Island? This isn't happy hour or drink specials to encourage intoxication, this is fine wine paired with fine food. They are overreaching.

[Seth Price]

Is there anything we can do about this. I would be happy to help