The Tennessee General Assembly’s Fiscal Review Committee estimated that allowing wine sales in retail food stores would generate more than $16 million for state government and an additional $11 million for local governments.

“We know a majority of Tennesseans support wine sales in retail food stores,” said Jarron Springer, president of the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association (TGCSA). “The positive fiscal impact is yet another reason for legislators to seriously consider these bills this year and not roll it into another study committee.”

Download the fiscal note from the Red White and Food website media center.

From a WATE interview with an employee at University Liquor near the University of Tennessee campus.

[The employee] also says if wine is allowed in supermarkets, then liquor stores will have to work harder to keep customers.

“They would obviously have to lower prices and get bigger selections,” [the employee] explains.

And why are these things bad?

It’s official. More than 5,000 Tennesseans have joined Red White and Food to show their support for wine in retail food stores. That’s more than double the number of members from this time last year. Expect that number to grow significantly in coming days. Thanks to all our great supporters.

And, our Facebook group is nearing 3,000 members as well. Awesome.

An MTSU poll found that 62 percent of Tennesseans support selling wine in grocery stores in areas that already allow the sales of alcoholic beverages, as compared to 26 percent who oppose sales.

Full details at mtsurveygroup.org
Sean Braisted’s commentary

Tennessee bloggers have contributed greatly to the success of Red White and Food during the last year. We’ve asked them to designate today a special day to blog today about wine in retail food stores and why the issue is important to them.

Throughout the day, we’ll be updating the blog coverage (17 18 so far) as we find it. Enjoy.

• Bites Blog (Nashville Scene) — Start Wining: Red White And Food Declares Blog Day March 2
• Ulika Food Blog
• Sharon Cobb — Jesus Didn’t Turn Water Into Milk
• Left Wing Cracker
• Nashville for the 21st Century — Liberate TN from Oppressive Liquor Laws
• Nashvillest –Why Not Wine: Where’s Our Two Buck Chuck?
• Silence Isn’t Golden — An Argument For Wine
• Nashville Is Talking — Buying Wine In Tennessee Grocery Stores
• Tiny Cat Pants — Whining About Wine
• Liesl’s Confection Dissection — It’s Just A Little Whining
• Jess Moves to Canada – Why Not Wine, Indeed?
• Sallaboutme — Why Not Wine?
• News Coma — May The Wine Be With You
• The World According To Oatney — Free My Merlot
• Dance Divam — I Love My Wine Store
• Cabbage Babble — Psst!
• Cosmopolitan Conservative — I’m Pro-Choice On Wine
• Monster Mash — Grape Expectations