By Hannah Poukish

More California wineries could soon sell bottles of wine and host pop-up tastings at local farmers markets after the state Legislature passed a new bill Thursday.

Senate Bill 917, authored by San Luis Obispo County lawmaker Sen. John Laird, would give boutique and small-scale winemakers the opportunity to make sales and form face-to-face connections at certified farmers markets.

Sen. Laird said he authored the legislation to aid small winemakers as wine consumption plunges across the country.

“California’s wineries are hurting, and SB 917 delivers real relief,” Laird said in a news release Thursday. “By cutting red tape and opening new markets, we’re giving small producers more opportunities to get their products directly to consumers.”

Currently, state law allows only estate wineries — operations that grow all their own grapes on site — to sell at certified farmers markets. That limitation has resulted in only two out of nearly 600 licensed wineries acquiring farmers market permits in San Luis Obispo County, Laird told The Tribune in February.

On Thursday, the legislation easily passed in the state Senate, receiving 74 yes votes and zero no votes. Five legislators did not to vote, according to CalMatters Digital Democracy site.

“I’m proud to see this common-sense measure pass the Legislature and look forward to the Governor’s consideration,” Laird said in the release.

“I’m proud to see this common-sense measure pass the Legislature and look forward to the Governor’s consideration,” Laird said in the release.

“I’m proud to see this common-sense measure pass the Legislature and look forward to the Governor’s consideration,” Laird said in the release.

Published in The Tribune.