2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 44 - REVENUE - REGULATION OF ACTIVITIES (§§ 44-1-101 — 44-50-1001) › ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO REGULATION (§§ 44-3-101 — 44-7-107) › Article 3 - ALCOHOL BEVERAGES (§§ 44-3-101 — 44-3-1002) › Part 4 - CLASSES OF LICENSES AND PERMITS (§§ 44-3-401 — 44-3-432) › Section 44-3-403 - Limited winery license - rules

(1)
A Colorado limited winery license shall be granted by the state licensing authority to an applicant that certifies that it will manufacture not more than one hundred thousand gallons, or the metric equivalent thereof, of vinous liquors within Colorado. Each limited winery licensee shall annually certify to the state licensing authority its compliance with this subsection (1) and shall be subject to revocation of its license for false certification.
(2)
A limited winery licensee is authorized:
(a)
To manufacture vinous liquors upon its licensed premises and, in order to enhance the growth and viability of the Colorado wine industry, upon alternating proprietor licensed premises, as approved by the state licensing authority;
(b)
To sell vinous liquors of its own manufacture within this state at wholesale, at retail, or to personal consumers, including, if the limited winery also has received a winery direct shipper's permit under section
44-3-104
, sales to be delivered by common carrier or by the limited winery licensee to personal consumers in accordance with all requirements in section
44-3-104
;
(c)
To sell vinous liquors of its own manufacture in other states, the laws of which permit the sale of such wines and liquors;
(d)
To sell vinous liquors of its own manufacture for export to foreign countries if such export is permitted by the laws of the United States;
(e)
(I)
(A)
Except as provided in subsection (2)(e)(I)(B) of this section and subject to subsection (2)(e)(II) of this section, to conduct tastings and sell vinous liquors of its own manufacture, as well as vinous liquors manufactured by other Colorado wineries, on the licensed premises of the limited winery and up to five other approved sales room locations, whether included in the license at the time of the original license issuance or by supplemental application. If the licensed premises includes multiple noncontiguous locations, the licensee may operate a sales room on only one of those noncontiguous locations. Any additional sales room operated on a noncontiguous location of the licensed premises must be approved as one of the licensee's additional sales rooms allowed under this subsection (2)(e)(I)(A) in accordance with the process outlined in subsection (2)(e)(II) of this section.
(B)
A limited winery licensee shall not conduct retail sales from an area licensed or defined as an alternating proprietor licensed premises.
(II)
(A)
Prior to operating a sales room location, a limited winery licensed pursuant to this section shall, at the time of application to the state licensing authority, send a copy of the application or supplemental application for a sales room to the local licensing authority in the jurisdiction in which the sales room is proposed. The local licensing authority may submit a response to the application, including its determination specified in subsection (2)(e)(II)(B) of this section, to the state licensing authority but must submit its response within forty-five days after the licensed limited winery submits its sales room application to the state licensing authority, or, for purposes of an application to operate a temporary sales room for not more than three consecutive days, within the time specified by the state licensing authority by rule. If the local licensing authority does not submit a response to the state licensing authority within the time specified in this subsection (2)(e)(II)(A), the state licensing authority shall deem that the local licensing authority has determined that the proposed sales room will not impact traffic, noise, or other neighborhood concerns in a manner that is inconsistent with local regulations or ordinances or that the applicant will sufficiently mitigate any impacts identified by the local licensing authority.
(B)
The state licensing authority must consider the response from the local licensing authority, if any, and may deny the proposed sales room application if the local licensing authority determines that approval of the proposed sales room will impact traffic, noise, or other neighborhood concerns in a manner that is inconsistent with local regulations or ordinances, which may be determined by the local licensing authority without requiring a public hearing, or that the applicant cannot sufficiently mitigate any potential impacts identified by the local licensing authority.
(C)
The state licensing authority shall not grant approval of an additional sales room unless the applicant affirms to the state licensing authority that the limited winery applicant has complied with local zoning restrictions.
(D)
A licensed limited winery that is operating a sales room as of August 5, 2015, or that is granted approval pursuant to this subsection (2)(e)(II) to operate a sales room on or after August 5, 2015, shall notify the state licensing authority of all sales rooms it operates. The state licensing authority shall maintain a list of all limited winery licensee sales rooms in the state and make the list available on its website.
(E)
The local licensing authority may request that the state licensing authority take action in accordance with section
44-3-601
against a licensed limited winery approved to operate a sales room if the local licensing authority demonstrates to the state licensing authority that the licensee has engaged in an unlawful act as set forth in part 9 of this article 3 or shows good cause as specified in section
44-3-103 (19)(a), (19)(b), or (19)(d)
.
(F)
This subsection (2)(e)(II) does not apply if the licensed limited winery does not sell and serve vinous liquors for consumption on the licensed premises or in an approved sales room.
(f)
To serve and sell food, general merchandise, and nonalcohol beverages for consumption on the premises of any licensed premises or to be taken by the consumer.
(3)
In order to encourage and maintain the integrity and authenticity of Colorado's viticultural identity, support the wine-grape and fruit growing industries in Colorado, and inform the consumer of the source of grapes and fruit used by Colorado limited wineries to produce vinous liquors, the liquor enforcement division shall, after consultation with the Colorado wine industry and other interested parties from the alcohol beverage industry, within one year after June 1, 2005, enact rules for the implementation, standardization, and enforcement of appellation labeling requirements that are consistent with, and, with respect to the origin of the grapes and other fruit used to manufacture the vinous liquor, more informative than currently required by federal wine labeling regulations set forth in
27 CFR 4
, "Labeling and Advertising of Wine", and related regulations. Colorado's labeling regulations shall apply to a manufacturer licensed pursuant to section
44-3-402
or a Colorado limited winery licensed under this section in the manufacture of the vinous liquor contained in the labeled bottle. Honey wine, including honey wine flavored with fruit, herbs, or spices, shall be exempt from the labeling requirements included in this section.
(4)
(a)
A winery may affix the phrase "Colorado Grown" to bottles of wine described in section
44-3-103 (10)
.
(b)
Effective July 1, 2006, it shall be unlawful for a Colorado winery to make any misleading statement on its product label regarding the origin of grapes, fruit, or other agricultural products used to make vinous liquor. This subsection (4)(b) shall not be construed to apply to the winery's name or address or to an appellation allowed under federal regulations.
(5)
A person who has a financial interest in a limited winery license and relinquishes such license to apply for another license under this article 3 shall be prohibited from obtaining a limited winery license for three years from the date of issuance of such other license.
(6)
(a)
It is unlawful for any limited winery licensee or any person, partnership, association, organization, or corporation interested financially in or with a limited winery licensee to be interested financially, directly or indirectly, in the business of any person licensed to sell at retail pursuant to this article 3.
(b)
It is unlawful for any limited winery licensee or any person, partnership, association, organization, or corporation interested financially in or with a limited winery licensee to be interested financially, directly or indirectly, in the business of any vinous or spirituous wholesale licensee.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 165, § 4, eff. 9/7/2021.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 390, § 62, eff. 8/2/2019.
Renumbered from C.R.S. § 12-47-403 and amended by 2018 Ch. 152, § 2, eff. 10/1/2018.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 121, § 1, eff. 8/10/2016.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 194, § 4, eff. 8/5/2015.
L. 2018: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 18-1025), ch. 994, p. 994, § 2, effective October 1. L. 2019: (2)(e)(I)(A) amended, (SB 19-241), ch. 3479, p. 3479, § 62, effective August 2. L. 2021: (2)(e)(I)(A) amended, (HB 21-1044), ch. 927, p. 927, § 4, effective September 7.
This section is similar to former § 12-47-403 as it existed prior to 2018.
2021 Ch. 165, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).