Selectmen Approve Liquor Licenses for Winter Market

Wine wil return to the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market when it opens on Jan. 7, 2012.

Wayland's Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously approved one-day liquor licenses for Still River Winery out of Harvard, Mass., and Westport Rivers Inc. out of Westport, Mass., to sample and sell their product during the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market on Saturdays from Jan. 7-March 10, at Russell's Garden Center.

The approval came in the interest of learning more details about the number of wines offered, alcohol service training for vendors and general safety.

Monday night selectmen heard from Peg Mallett, who runs the summer farmers' market at Russell's, and Kip Kumler, owner of Turtle Creek Winery in Lincoln and chairman of the Massachusetts Farm Wineries Association. Kumler helped draft the legislation passed in August 2010 that allows farm wineries to sell their product in local farmers' markets.

Selectmen asked how many wineries are present in a given week of the market and how much wine each of those wineries samples.

Mallett explained the expectation for the Winter Farmers' Market by looking back at the wine samplings that occurred during the Summer Farmers' Market as well as Winter Farmers' Market.

“In a given week, there were two wineries there," Mallett said, of the summer market's wine sales. "The idea now [for winter markets] was to repeat the one-day [Wine Day] event that we had [in January 2011] and then to have them on a rotating basis. Always, there’s two or three and one of those will be selling apples, cider, that kind of thing.”

Kumler went on to explain that Massachusetts statute dictates each sample be no more than 1 ounce, though "we rarely pour more than half an ounce," Kumler added.

Every member vineyard of the Massachusetts Farm Wineries Association agrees that everyone serving samples is either TIPS certified or is supervised by someone who is, Kumler said, addressing Selectmen John Bladon's question regarding who takes responsibility for policing the tastings.

“I see this as not too much of a problem in that it was governed by state statute,” Selectmen Joe Nolan said. “Public safety is paramount to us. It’s important that all of the wineries and vendors know we take it seriously.”

Satisfied with the safety precautions taken during the tastings, selectmen questioned Kumler and Mallett about the competition to local businesses.

Kumler said that, in his experience, the winery tastings, which are "episodic," actually drive business to the local stores that carry the wines.

“We’re introducing new products to new customers and typically at higher prices," Kumler said. “We’re referring people to them [local businesses].”

Mallett said Russell's hosts farmers' markets, either winter or summer, for no more than 27 weeks per year (there are discussions of shortening the summer market season next year, which would bring the total number of weeks to 26). The wine samplings are offered only during those markets.

“I think it also brings people into Wayland," Selectmen Sue Pope said. "I think it brings people in who will spend money in Wayland.”