If I wanted to charge a fee for private wine tastings in people's home (people of legal drinking age) in the state of Texas and Louisiana, (a) do I need a special license or permit to charge a fee for the wine tasting? And (b) if I want to sell them contingency bottles of wine (1 of each type of wine) after the tasting, do I need a special license or permit to charge them for this wine?

Are there any other legal issues that I need to think about? For instance, could I transport wine purchased in Texas across the state line of Louisiana for the same purposes (wine tastings for a fee)?

Hello set:

If you're really contemplating this venture, you're certainly going to need to do more due diligence than just asking here. Clearly, you're going to need a local attorney - not only to answer your question with authority, but to be there standing next to you, when and if the authorities disagree with his opinion.

Having said that, it would be my view, not knowing a thing about the laws in Texas, that you could charge for the tasting, because that's a service. But that you cannot charge for the wine, because that's merchandise, and you're going to need a liquor license of some sort to sell that.

I don't know if you can transport your wine across state lines for tasting, and/or sales but, I'll bet you can't, again, without a permit. I'd further suggest that such a permit would be difficult to get, unless you're a large distributor, and I don't think you are. Even though I don't know about Texas, I AM familiar with liquor laws generally.

excon

How much wine are you going to transport, one bottle, or a semi truck full.

But you start would be the liquor board of each state, and not up on there but are there dry areas where wine may not be legal to have. I know there used to be places in AL like that.

Probably no more than a dozen bottles...

I've already sent an inquiry to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, but thought I would ask here first.