Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington State is starting a year-long pilot program that will allow wine and beer tasting in grocery stores. The new program is aimed at helping grocery stores compete with wineries and boutiques that already offer tastings. Richland correspondent Anna King reports.

Thirty grocery stores around Washington will be able to have as many as 12 wine and beer tastings over the next year.

The program starts in October. And the rules are strict.

Liquor control officers will be monitoring the events. Customers can only have four ounces of alcohol at each tasting. And there must be food available.

One of the first stores selected to participate is the Dayton Mercantile. It’s run by Todd Waggoner.

Todd Waggoner: "We have good luck sampling apples and new cheeses and things like that. It’s a fun thing to do. You will be able to let people try wines that they usually wouldn’t."

Waggoner says he hopes the tasting events will encourage customers to buy more expensive bottles. At the end of Washington’s pilot program, the liquor board will write up a report for the legislature.

Idaho and Oregon already allow wine and beer tastings in grocery stores. But the stores do have to follow specific guidelines.

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More information

The Washington State Liquor Control Board wants to hear your opinion. Write to tastingpilot@liq.wa.gov