George Borrello
State Senator George Borrello has introduced legislation that would allow New York grocery stores to sell New York State-produced wines.
He said the proposal is intended to support family farms and local vintners and boost New York’s wine industry, which contributes nearly $15 billion in direct economic impact to New York State. It also addresses concerns that a general law allowing wine sales in supermarkets would result in major national distributors paying for shelf space and crowding out New York-produced wines. Borrello said a general law could result in smaller wineries—many of which rely on direct-to-consumer sales and limited distribution—finding themselves shut out of the grocery market entirely.
Under current law, wine is sold primarily through standalone liquor stores. While proposals to allow wine sales in grocery stores have surfaced for years, they’ve been repeatedly defeated due to opposition from the liquor store lobby, which argues the change would harm independent retailers.
Borrello acknowledged their concerns and noted that his legislation strikes a balance—supporting New York’s wine industry while addressing the concerns of independent retailers and the liquor store lobby. The targeted approach would ensure that grocery sales expand in a way that uplifts local agriculture without undermining small, community-based wine and liquor shops.
He also said that he will soon be introducing legislation to address another concern of small wine and liquor retailers: the current prohibition on selling food products such as cheese, cured meats, olives, and crackers—items that complement wine and spirits. Borrello said the goal is to level the playing field, as New York State currently prohibits liquor stores from selling any type of food.
New York is the third-largest wine-producing state in the nation, with more than 450 wineries and 35,000 acres of vineyards across 11 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). The industry supports thousands of jobs and draws over 5 million tourists to wine country annually, generating nearly $2 billion in tourism spending.
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