Winery Rules
North Carolina has some specific rules around dry counties, tastings, and selling your wine.
Dry Counties
A winery holding a North Carolina ABC winery permit may do the following:
- Build a winery and produce wine
- Hold tastings
- Sell wine in closed containers for consumption on or off premises (depending on permit)
- Sell wine by the glass regardless of eating establishment status
A winery in a dry or wet county may ship wine to an individual of legal drinking age in a dry county for personal (not commercial) use.
A winery may hold up to three additional tasting and sales outlets separate at locations other than the winery, but these must be located in towns/counties where wine sales are permitted.
Winery Tastings
Tastings are regulated by ABC Rules T04:02S.0900. Tastings are legal when the retail permittee holds the appropriate on-premises unfortified winery permit; a special event permit may also be required if off the premises. The limited winery permit is not needed.
There is no tasting size restriction, but we recommend less than 1 ounce per taste to reduce liability.
Winery Private Labelling
A company wishing to sell wine that has been privately labeled must hold permits allowing retail wine sales. This is not possible in a dry county unless the company holds a winery or wine producer permit from ABC.
Winery Retail Outlets
The primary retail outlet must be on the winery complex but not necessarily attached to the winery building. The winery complex must be engaged in some aspect of the wine manufacturing process (i.e., fermenting, aging, bottling or labeling). This may be in a dry or wet county.
A winery may now hold up to three additional tasting and sales outlets separate from the winery, but these must be located in towns/counties where wine sales are permitted.