Senate to soon vote whether to OK bill that would lure wine giant to SC

Maayan Schechter
·1 min read

South Carolina senators hesitantly agreed Tuesday to advance legislation that would help lure a major California wine manufacturer and distributor to Chester County and add a small number of tasting rooms in the state — an addition that competitors have criticized as unfair.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance a bill that would allow California-based Gallo Winery to open three satellite tasting rooms, sending the controversial measure to the Senate floor where its proponents hope it will pass before the Legislature’s April crossover deadline, ensuring it gets to the House before the session ends.

The bill advanced with new restrictions under a change proposed by Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg.

Gallo would only be able to open three, not four, satellite tasting rooms, could only sell six bottles of product and not 12 and would have restricted hours of operation, requiring Gallo’s satellite stores to close at 5:30 p.m. so they don’t compete with local restaurants and wine bars, Hutto said.

Gallo Winery wants to investment $400 million to build its first East Coast hub on roughly 600 acres in Fort Lawn, a former mill town, that would serve as the company’s second U.S. location handling bottling, canning, warehousing, distribution and, one day, manufacturing its own cans.

The company would be required to add at least 300 jobs, but testified it’ll add closer to 500.

Gallo also wants to open satellite tasting locations, giving consumers the chance to try and buy its product.

Gov. Henry McMaster supports the legislation and has asked the Legislature to move quickly on the investment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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