Vanessa Oliver says wine distributors shouldn’t be limited to ‘reusable’ kegs

Wine can be a very fickle product, and one legislator says wine producers in Florida should not be limited in the kegs they use.

Rep. Vanessa Oliver, a Port Charlotte Republican, filed a measure (HB 6015) to end the requirements that wine producers use “reusable” kegs.

“It is unlawful for a person to sell within this state wine in an individual container holding more than 1 gallon of such wine, unless such wine is in a reusable container holding 5.16 gallons or a glass container holding 4.5 liters, 6 liters, 17.9 liters, 12 liters, or 15 liters,” the current law reads.

Oliver’s bill removes one word — “reusable” — from the legislation that was approved about a decade ago. Oliver said it may seem like a small adjustment. But for wine makers in Florida, it’s an essential change and can make a difference in taste of the final product.

“This was actually brought to me by one of my constituents who is a blueberry farmer in DeSoto County,” Oliver said. “He is part owner of a winery and they make blueberry wine out of his blueberries and sell it throughout the Southeastern United States.”

The problem for the blueberry farmer is they cannot distribute the wine in large quantities in Florida because it can only be sold in reusable kegs, which are usually made of metal. Oliver said that negatively impacts the taste of the wine.

“It’s really hindering their ability to sell their products to restaurants in our state,” Oliver said. “They normally use a glass keg that’s recyclable, but not reusable.”

While Florida will never be known as a wine region like other states such as California or Washington, there are still about three dozen wine producers in the Sunshine State, according to the American Winery Guide.

Oliver’s proposal doesn’t change the size of the kegs that are permitted or the size of any container for wine sales. The proposed change would not eliminate “reusable” kegs. But it would make them optional and Oliver said the glass kegs are simply better for the taste of the product.

“It’s a really big deal for small businesses in my district. So, that makes it a big deal to me,” Oliver said. “Those particular businesses are really limited because they are not going to buy this really expensive one type of keg. They (customers) are not going to buy this one type of expensive wine when it ruins the taste.”