(a) The department may issue a special temporary on-sale wine license to a nonprofit corporation, exempt from payment of income taxes under Section 23701a or 23701e of the Revenue and Taxation Code and Section 501(c)(5) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, if a majority of whose members are either licensed winegrowers, winegrape growers, or professionals in the fields of enology or viticulture. The license shall authorize the sale of wine for consumption on the premises where sold, and no off-sale privileges shall be exercised under this license. An applicant for this license shall accompany the application with a fee equal to the actual cost of issuing the license, but not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) per day.

(b) This special license shall only entitle the licensee to sell to the general public wine bought by, or donated to, the licensee under either of the following conditions:

Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 24045.19

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
  • Licensee: means any person authorized by a license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.8

(1) The wine is sold as part of a class, seminar, or other instructional event organized by the licensee to educate the general public on topics related to enology or viticulture. The instruction may include, without limitation, the history, nature, values, and characteristics of the wines and grapes that were used to make the wines. A single tasting of wine shall not exceed one ounce. The licensee shall remove any wine not consumed during the instruction that the licensee provided following the instruction.

(2) The wine is sold at a winetasting event organized by the licensee to educate and instruct the general public with respect to the uses and value of winegrapes from a particular agricultural region that is related to the licensee’s exempt purpose. A single tasting of wine shall not exceed one ounce. If the licensee’s name, or any name under which the licensee does business, includes the designation of an American appellation of origin, as defined in Section 4.25 of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the wines sold by the licensee pursuant to this license shall be labeled with the named appellation of origin, or an appellation of origin located entirely within the named appellation of origin. The licensee shall remove any wine not consumed during the winetasting event that the licensee provided following the winetasting event.

(c) A class, seminar, instructional event, or winetasting event organized pursuant to this section shall not be directed toward a specific private brand or trade name, although private brands and trade names may be used at the events.

(d) Only six special licenses authorized by this section shall be issued to any single nonprofit corporation in any one calendar year. The special license shall be for a period not to exceed two consecutive days.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, licensees may donate wine or sell wine to a nonprofit corporation that obtains a special temporary on-sale license under this section, provided the donation is not made in connection with a sale of an alcoholic beverage.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 441, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)

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