Commission clears way for Oklahoma wineries to sell to restaurants, stores

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Richard Kennedy had a wrath about grapes. <br><br>The owner of Tressuenos Winery in Luther, Kennedy was frustrated his product was being sold mostly to customers at his winery while

Friday, November 17th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Richard Kennedy had a wrath about grapes.

The owner of Tressuenos Winery in Luther, Kennedy was frustrated his product was being sold mostly to customers at his winery while competitors in surrounding states flourished by selling directly to restaurants and stores.

On Friday, the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission cleared the final legal hurdles for Oklahoma wineries to do the same.

Kennedy called it the greatest thing to ever happen to the Oklahoma vintners.

``You're going to see people planting grapes all over Oklahoma,'' he said.

The industry could use a boost in the state, which boasts just four functioning wineries.

Texas and Missouri each boast around 30 wineries, New Mexico has 21 and there are eight in Kansas, Kennedy said.

``Every state around us had a viable wine industry. We didn't,'' said Robert Bartunik, owner of Bartunik Winery near Enid.

``You start looking at why and it's because we were limited in selling the wine virtually only at the winery.''

So Bartunik went to state Rep. Curt Roggow, R-Enid, who proposed State Question 688, allowing the direct sales from wineries to stores and restaurants.

Voters passed the measure last week by a 3-to-1 margin, but questions about taxes and fairness remained.

They were answered Friday by the ABLE commission.

One commissioner expressed concern about ``monopolies'' developing in the form of wineries that agree to sell all their products solely to a particular store or restaurant.

Winery operators said such a move would be bad business.

``It would be foolish of us to sell all to one store,'' Kennedy said. ``We want to get our products out everywhere we can. If Olive Garden called and said they wanted to buy all thousand cases, if we had that many, it could be just a one-time deal. And if you cut the others off they'd be alienated toward you.''

Another issue dealt with tax stamps that are required on wine bottles sold to restaurants in Oklahoma.

State law dictates the Oklahoma Tax Commission can only sell the stamps to wholesalers, but wording approved by the ABLE Commission Friday considers wineries just that.

Tax Commission deputy general counsel Marjorie Welch said that was good enough for her.

``The critical thing was that ABLE called them wholesalers, and they've done that. So we're comfortable they fit in with our statutes,'' she said.

Winery owners said they should be able to start selling to restaurants and stores as soon as they get needed paperwork done, including posting a list of their products' prices, which is required by law.

While official approval of the law's wording brought celebration from winemakers, they said the industry in Oklahoma has aged quite nicely since work began on the proposal a year-and-a-half ago.

Six wineries are scheduled to come into operation next year, Bartunik said.

Oklahoma's Grape Growers and Winemakers Association has grown from 35 members last year to over 150 this year, Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the proposal will not just energize the current wine industry in the state, but could provide an outlet for troubled farmers of other crops.

``We have so many people who can grow one or two acres of grapes on five-acre plots and can make house payments,'' Kennedy said.

Brendan McBratney, who helps his family run Stone Bluff Cellars near Haskell, said the proposal will have a big impact on the image of the state.

``It promotes tourism in general. It's a family-oriented industry. Everyone's excited to see there's a wine industry in Oklahoma,'' he said.