Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Supported by

Nevada Wineries Support Bill To Repeal Restrictions On Importing Wine

Wine grapes
"Wine grapes baja" by Tomás Castelazo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

A bill before the state Legislature could help Nevada's growing wine business.

Yes, Virginia City there are vineyards in Nevada.

It may be a small industry with only four statewide, but those wineries have reached agreement on repealing the state’s partial winery ban.

Assembly Bill 4 would repeal a state law prohibiting wineries in Clark and Washoe counties from importing wine from other states.

It will also allow them to serve alcoholic beverages on the premises.

“Virtually, the entire wine industry was opposed to the original bill that would have led to no restrictions on wine from out of state,” on Bill Loken, owner of Pahrump Valley Winery, told KNPR’s State of Nevada.

The bill mandates that 25 percent of the wine produced must come from fruit grown in Nevada. At one point that figure was 75 percent, which Loken called “way to restrictive” if the state wanted to support a growing wine industry.

"It's really only been over the past three to five years that the Nevada wine, the volume of Nevada wine, has grown. The popularity has grown and the quality has just skyrocketed," Loken said.

Loken believes there is a huge opportunity for expanding the wine industry in Nevada. 

"Obviously, we're known for gaming and we're known for mining but why not be known for wineries too?" he said.

 

Bill Loken, owner, Pahrump Valley Winery

Stay Connected