It's Wine Time for Tennessee Grocery Stores

Nearly every year, someone in the Tennessee legislature brings a bill to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores. Just as predictably, the bill is killed soon after due to the outsized influence of Tom "the Golden Goose" Hensley, the powerful lobbyist for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee (WSWT).

Hensley has much of the legislature in his pocket. The WSWT doled out nearly $250,000 to the campaigns of TN legislators last year. Let's just call this what it is... bribery. Quid pro quo. Hensley gives out cash and in turn, the beneficiaries of his largess vote his way and parrot his sophistry.

Concerns about teen drinking

Among the most ridiculous argument against allowing wine sales in grocery stores is that it will lead to an increase in underage drinking. Huh? Grocery stores already sell beer. They already require ID for any sales of alcohol. That would not change if they started selling wine.

And honestly, what teenagers are going to try getting their hands on wine, rather than beer or liquor, if they have the means? Let's face it, teens who drink want to get drunk. For $10, their options are A) a bottle of wine that yields about five drinks, B) a case of cheap beer that yields 18-24 drinks, or C) a bottle of vodka that yields about 25 drinks. They would get much more bang for their buck with either beer or liquor, not wine.

It's just not at all plausible that teens who want to drink are going to buy wine. Not at the grocery store, not anywhere. Those who argue otherwise are peddling propaganda to a credulous audience. Even Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said the police have no concerns about increased teen drinking. Nor does Mothers Against Drunk Driving, according tostate Executive Director Laura Dial.

May hurt liquor retailers

The liquor lobby argues that selling wine in grocery stores would make it tough on dedicated wine and spirit shops. Putting aside for a moment that the motorized vehicle probably made it hard on sellers of buggy whips, I think their analysis is wrong.

The consumers who will buy wine at Kroger are not the same people who will buy wine at a liquor store. If anything, putting wine in grocery stores will expand the market, thus the dollars, that TN liquor wholesalers will realize.

Grocery stores are likely to carry mostly mass-market, popular, lower end wines. The kind of wines people want to pick up on a whim while they're getting groceries. The liquor stores will still get the bulk of customers who are looking for something a little better than Mondavi or Yellow Tail, and looking for a knowledgeable wine recommendation.

Hope is ahead

The WSWT maintains that the system as it is works well and that consumers are happy. That is clearly a denial of reality. Several TN newspapers, such as the Nashville Scene, the Kingsport Times-News, the Tri-Cities Herald Courier, and the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle have chimed in with editorials. Comments from readers have reflected the overwhelming desire of consumers for change.

Thankfully, it looks like this year, consumers might actually stand a chance of getting their way. With the introduction of Senate Bill 3139 and the (finally) organized grassroots efforts of the TN Grocers Association, consumers may soon be able to pick up a bottle of bubbly along with their bread.

The grocers association has started their own website, www.redwhiteandfood.com where TN residents can read about the issues and contact their legislators. And nearly everyone agrees, this issue is one that's coming to a head, sooner or later. If enough TN residents care about the issue and contact their legislators in support of change, this could be the year.