TO AMEND SECTION 61-6-1035, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SAMPLING OF WINES, SO AS TO PERMIT RETAILERS TO CONDUCT TASTINGS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 61-6-1035 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 61-6-1035. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 61-6-1500, the sampling of wines containing over sixteen percent by volume of alcohol, cordials, and other distilled spirits sold in a retail alcoholic liquor store is authorized if the sampling is conducted as follows:
(1) No sample may be offered from more than four products at any one time.
(2) No more than one bottle of each of the four products to be sampled may be opened.
(3) 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 conclusion of the tasting.
(4) Samples must be less than one-half ounce for each product sampled.
(5) No person may be served more than one sample of each product.
(6) No sampling may be offered for longer than four hours.
(7) At least ten 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.
(8) No sample may be offered to, or allowed to be consumed by, an intoxicated person or a person under the age of twenty-one years. This person must not be allowed to loiter on the store premises.
(9) The tastings must be conducted by the manufacturer, retailer, or an agent of the manufacturer or retailer, and must not be conducted by a wholesaler, retailer, or an employee of a wholesaler or retailer.
(10) No retail alcoholic liquor store may offer more than one sampling per day."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.