Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 3-7 - Retail Licenses
Section 3-7-4.1. - Holders of retail Class A licenses permitted to conduct wine, beer, and distilled spirit samplings inside licensed premises.

§ 3-7-4.1. Holders of retail Class A licenses permitted to conduct wine, beer, and distilled spirit samplings inside licensed premises.
Any holder of a Class A retail license shall be permitted to conduct at no charge to the consumer, inside the premises of the licensee, sample tastings of wine (under 13% alcohol by volume), beer (under 5.5% alcohol by volume), and distilled spirits available for purchase from the licensee’s outlet. These samples shall not exceed one-ounce servings of each wine, the number of wines being limited to no more than four (4) products at any one tasting; and one-ounce servings of each beer, with the number of beer samplings being limited to two (2) products at any one tasting; and one-quarter-ounce servings (¼ oz.) of each distilled spirit, the number of distilled spirits being limited to no more than two (2) products at any one tasting. Furthermore, wine, beer, and distilled spirits samplings may not be conducted simultaneously on the same Class A licensed premise. Each consumer shall be limited to no more than one sample tasting of each product. The licensee may elect, once during the month of March, and once during the month of November only, to serve unlimited samples of wine products available for purchase from the licensee’s outlet.
It shall be required that the licensee provide, at no charge to the consumer, food samplings to be included with the tasting of all wine and beer. Those food samplings not consumed during the tasting shall not thereafter be offered for sale.
The licensee shall control, without wholesaler or supplier participation, the dispensing of all samples to prospective customers. The licensee may not hold more than ten (10) tasting events in any thirty-day (30) period. It shall be required that the licensee provide to the dispenser(s) of said wine and beer samples, training in the service of alcoholic beverages by a recognized training provider of alcoholic beverage service.
Sampling events may not be promoted except on the licensed premises. It shall be unlawful for any wholesaler, manufacturer, supplier, or any other person or entity to participate or provide anything or any service of value on account of or in conjunction with any such sampling. It shall be unlawful for any tasting, or combination of tastings, to exceed more than four (4) hours from start to finish and must be conducted during the normal hours of business.
History of Section.P.L. 2003, ch. 224, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 384, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 367, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 467, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 460, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 466, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 20, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 22, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 177, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 384, § 1.

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