New Tennessee Law Expands Wine Selection in Grocery Stores

Since the Tennessee legislature passed a law in 2014 allowing for the sale of table wines in grocery stores, there has been ongoing confusion about exactly what wine can be sold in varying outlets. In fact, the state had two differing definitions for wine, depending on if it was to be sold in a package store or in a grocery store. With the passage of House Bill 411 on April 25, 2023, the state will now operate using just the broader wine definition which was previously applied only to package stores. This will allow for flavored wines, wine coolers and wines defined by Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as “other than standard” to be sold in grocery stores alongside traditional table wines. Wine Institute’s local team worked on this fix for several years, and we are pleased that the new rules took effect immediately. Wineries that had their labels rejected in the past for grocery sales should now work with their Tennessee wholesalers to get those products onto grocery store shelves.