Wine lovers in Florida will soon be able to buy bottles larger than a gallon, after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation expanding the size of bottles available for retail sale.
The measure (HB 583) allows retail sales of wine bottles of 4.5 liters, 6 liters, 9 liters, 12 liters or 15 liters. Current law restricts sales to 1 gallon (about 3.8 liters) or in reusable containers holding 5.16 gallons. The changes take effect July 1.
“Prior to signing this bill a bottle like this was not able to be sold in a store like this in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony at Wine Watch, a wine retailer in Fort Lauderdale, as he held up a sample 15 liter bottle.
DeSantis noted consumers can currently order such bottles online anyway, so “there was really no public policy reason why we should have this regulation.”
Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Lighthouse Point Republican, sponsored the bill. It received just one “no” vote on its way to passage, from Rep. Clay Yarborough, a Jacksonville Republican. The bill, though, had been filed in the Legislature the last five years before making the breakthrough during the Regular Session.
LaMarca Thursday highlighted the benefit he believes the new law will have on retailers and the economy, as well as the Italian heritage of the store’s owner, himself and DeSantis.
“This is an Italian-American-owned business and an Italian-American Governor and an Italian-American state Representative,” LaMarca said. “So wine is a big part of our culture, whether it’s the Italian side or the American side.”
Andrew Lampasone is the owner of Wine Watch, and said the bill will bring Florida into line with other states that already allow the sale of larger bottles, making the state more competitive.
“This is a huge economic impact,” Lampasone said. “Thank you for bringing us up to where we needed to be with the big boys, California and New York.”
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