2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 60. State Control of Alcoholic Liquors › Article 4. Licenses › §60-4-3b. Winery and Farm Winery License to Manufacture and Sell

(a) An operator of a winery or farm winery may offer wine produced by the winery, farm winery, or a farm entity authorized by 60-1-5c of this code, for retail sale to customers from the winery or farm winery for consumption off the premises only. Customers may consume wine on the premises when an operator of a winery or farm winery offers complimentary samples pursuant to 60-6-1 of this code, the winery or farm winery is licensed as a private wine restaurant, or the winery or farm winery is licensed as a private manufacturer club. Customers may not consume any wine on the licensed premises of the winery, farm winery, or a farm entity authorized by 60-1-5c of this code, unless the winery, farm winery, or farm entity has obtained a multi-capacity winery or farm winery license: Provided, That under this subsection, a licensed winery or farm winery may offer complimentary samples of wine manufactured by that licensed winery or farm winery for consumption on the premises only on Sundays beginning at 6:00 a.m. in any county in which the same has been approved as provided in 7-1-3ss of this code. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a licensed winery or farm winery may sell, serve, and furnish wine, for on-premises consumption when licensed accordingly, beginning at 6:00 a.m., and for off-premises consumption beginning at 6:00 a.m. on any day of the week, unless otherwise determined by the residents of the county pursuant to 7-1-3ss of this code.
(b) Complimentary samples allowed by the provisions of this section may not exceed two fluid ounces and no more than three samples may be given to a patron in any one day.
(c) Complimentary samples may be provided only for on-premises consumption.
(d) A winery, farm winery, or farm entity, pursuant to 60-1-5c of this code, may offer for retail sale from their licensed premises sealed original container bottles of wine for off-premises consumption only.
(e) A winery, farm winery, or farm entity licensed pursuant to 60-1-5c of this code, holding a multi-capacity license and a private wine restaurant license may offer wine by the drink or glass in a private wine restaurant located on the property of the winery, farm winery, or farm entity licensed pursuant to 60-1-5c of this code.
(f) Every licensed winery or farm winery shall comply with the provisions of 60-3-1
et seq
., 60-4-1
et seq
., and 60-8-1
et seq
. of this code as applicable to wine retailers, wineries, and suppliers when properly licensed in such capacities.
(g) (1) The winery or farm winery shall pay all taxes and fees required of licensed wine retailers and meet applicable licensing provisions as required by this chapter and by rules promulgated by the commissioner.
(2) Each winery or farm winery acting as its own supplier shall submit to the Tax Commissioner the liter tax for all sales at the winery or farm winery each month, as provided in 60-8-1
et seq
. of this code.
(3) The five percent wine excise tax, levied pursuant to 60-3-9d of this code, or pursuant to 8-13-7 of this code, may not be imposed or collected on purchases of wine in the original sealed package for the purpose of resale in the original sealed package, if the final purchase of the wine is subject to the excise tax or if the purchase is delivered outside this state.
(4) A liter tax shall not be collected on wine sold in the original sealed package for the purpose of resale in the original sealed package if a subsequent sale of the wine is subject to the liter tax.
(5) This section shall not be interpreted to authorize a purchase for resale exemption in contravention of 11-15-9a of this code.
(h) A winery or farm winery may advertise a particular brand or brands of wine produced by it. The price of the wine is subject to federal requirements or restrictions.
(i) A winery or farm winery shall maintain separate winery or farm winery supplier, retailer, and direct shipper licenses when acting in one or more of those capacities and shall pay all associated license fees, unless the winery or farm winery holds a license issued pursuant to the provisions of 60-8-3(b)(12) of this code. A winery or farm winery, if holding the appropriate licenses or a multi-capacity winery or farm winery license, may act as its own supplier; retailer for off-premises consumption of its wine as specified in 60-6-2 of this code; private wine restaurant; and direct shipper for wine produced by the winery or farm winery. A winery or farm winery that has applied, paid all fees, and met all requirements may obtain a private manufacturer club license subject to the requirements of 60-7-1
et seq
. of this code, and a Class A retail dealer license subject to the requirements of 11-16-1
et seq
. of this code. All wineries shall use a distributor to distribute and sell their wine in the state, except for farm wineries. Wineries or farm wineries may enter into alternating wine proprietorship agreements, pursuant to 60-1-5c of this code.
(j) The owners of a licensed winery or farm winery may operate a distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery, brewery, or as a resident brewer, as otherwise specified in the code.
(k) For purposes of this section, terms have the same meaning as provided in 8-13-7 of this code.
(l) Building code and tax classification. Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the mere addition of a winery or farm winery licensed under this article on a property does not change the nature or use of the property which otherwise qualifies as agricultural use for building code and property tax classification purposes.
(m) In the interest of promoting tourism throughout the state, every licensed winery or farm winery manufacturing wine in this state is authorized, with a limited off-site retail privilege at private fair and festivals, for off-premises consumption sales of only the winery or farm winery's sealed wine. At least five days prior to an approved private fair and festival, an authorized winery or farm winery shall provide a copy of a written agreement to sell only wine manufactured by the licensed winery or farm winery at the private fair and festival's licensed premises. If approved, an authorized licensed winery or farm winery may conduct off-premises consumption sales of their wine from a designated booth at the private fair and festival as set forth in 60-7-8a of this code. All authorized and approved wineries and farm wineries' off-premises consumption sales shall comply with all retail requirements in 60-8-1
et seq
. of this code, and specifically with respect to all markups, taxes, and fees. Additionally, an authorized winery or farm winery may provide complimentary samples to patrons who are 21 years of age and older and who are not intoxicated in the amounts set forth in subsection (b).