CAMERON DOUGLAS

The refusal of the law to allow cellar doors to easily offer tastings to guests is leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths.

Visiting cellar doors and tasting samples of a producer’s wine helps wine enthusiasts learn about the styles made and the region they come from – perhaps even to buy based upon the experience. This education, interaction and experience is an important and valuable part of producers’ brand awareness and marketing strategy. The vast majority of wine producers in Aotearoa are small, with many unable to charge a fee for tasting. Unfortunately, they are caught in a part of the Sale of Liquor Act’s wording that says if you charge a fee for sampling alcohol it’s deemed selling and you must therefore have a kitchen (commercial grade) and serve food as well. A tasting fee is not there as an extra charge, but to assist in recovering a tiny percentage of the costs involved in operating a cellar door. These wine businesses cannot afford the space or expense of a kitchen and food programme when all they want to do is recoup some of the cost of sharing before you buy. In a time when many small businesses are financially stretched and margins are narrow, surely it’s time to change the Act.