Off-Premises Beer/Wine Permit locations, whose primary product is beer, wine, and distilled spirits, may conduct not more than 24 wine tastings per quarter (wholesalers may only conduct two of these).
On-Premises Beer/Wine Permit holders are prohibited from holding wine tastings unless it is done:
- On an individual basis;
- To a fraternal organization in the course of its fund raising activities;
- To a person attending a private function;
- To a customer attending a function sponsored by the permit holder. No more than two functions are permitted per year and must be authorized by the department.
Winery Permit (“PWY”) locations that are located in South Carolina are authorized to offer wine tasting samples to prospective customers on its licensed premises, with or without cost, provided the wine contains an alcoholic content of 16.5% or less.
Wine containing 16.5% or less alcohol:
- Licensed wineries may conduct tastings without limitations.
- Retail liquor stores may conduct 24 wine tastings per quarter (wholesalers may only conduct two of these).
Wine containing over 16% alcohol and alcoholic liquors:
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No sample may be offered from more than four products at a time;
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The sample is limited to products from no more than one wholesaler at a time;
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No more than one bottle of each of the four products to be sampled may be opened;
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The sampling must be held in a designated tasting area of the retail liquor store and all open bottles must be visible at all times. All open bottles must be removed at the end of the tasting;
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Samples must be less than one-half ounce for each product sampled;
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No person may be served more than one sample of each product;
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No sampling may be offered for more than four hours;
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At least 10 days before the sampling, a letter detailing the specific date and hours of the sampling must be mailed first class to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The letter must include a copy of a certificate of liability insurance for the manufacturer, the retail establishment, or its agent, conducting the tastings;
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No sample may be offered to, or allowed to be consumed by, an intoxicated person or a person under the age of 21 years. This person must not be allowed to loiter on the store premises;
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The tastings must be conducted by the manufacturer or an agent of the manufacturer or retailer, and must not be conducted by a wholesaler, an employee of a wholesaler, or any agent of a wholesaler.
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No retail alcoholic liquor store may offer more than one sampling per day.
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All product samples used for tasting must be purchased by the retailer from a South Carolina Licensed Wholesaler.
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All associated costs for the tasting must be by the manufacturer, the retailer, or agent conducting the tastings.
- Mixers, which must be nonalcoholic and carry zero percent of alcohol by weight, may be provided in conjunction with the tasting, but the mixers must be provided free of charge.
- Store mixers used, but not sold, in conjunction with tastings.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the holder of a valid winery license that, on or after January 1, 2021, invests four hundred million dollars in this State in a Tier III or Tier IV county, as designated by the Department of Revenue pursuant to SC Code Section
12-6-3360(B), at the time of the public announcement of the project or upon reaching such investment and job requirement thresholds, and creates at least three hundred new jobs in this State, is eligible for a manufacturer's satellite certificate to establish up to three wholly owned satellite locations for tasting and sale of wine produced or imported as the primary American source of supply. See SC Code Section
61-4-748.
SC Code Sections
61-4-720,
61-4-737,
61-6-1035