Fate uncertain for wine sales bills
June 4, 2011
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Legislature last month passed two bills designed to help the state wine industry. But opposition from an Artesia oil company – which was a major contributor to Gov. Susana Martinez’s campaign – has some supporters wondering whether the governor will sign the bills into law
Senate Bill 445, sponsored by state Sen. Phil Griego, D-San Jose, and House Bill 487, sponsored by Rep. Ken Martinez, D-Grants, would allow wineries in the state to ship directly to New Mexico residents of legal age. The legislation also would allow any out-of-state winery willing to pay an annual $50 fee to ship wine to New Mexicans.
Supporters of the bills fear that because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision, New Mexico’s current laws on shipping wine could be struck down and make it illegal for wineries to ship directly to people anywhere.
A fiscal impact report on Griego’s bill notes that direct wine shipments in New Mexico aren’t regulated but are occurring in New Mexico. “The state is not receiving any tax revenues on these sales,” the report by the Legislative Council Service says. “Moreover, the state has no way of tracking businesses that are shipping wine illegally to the state, and it has no mechanism for dealing with dispute or taxation issues.”
Websites of several area wineries show that consumers can buy wine via the Internet. However, sales to residents in some states aren’t allowed. States such as Utah, Kentucky and Alabama forbid direct sales from wineries in other states.
Some individual wineries choose not to sell to residents of other states. Richard Reinders, owner of Estrella del Norte Vineyard in Nambe, said he doesn’t sell to North Dakota residents because that state requires out-of-state wineries to file quarterly reports.
The bills passed the New Mexico Legislature by large, bipartisan margins. But both Griego and a lobbyist for the wineries said this week that the Mack Energy Corp., an Artesia oil company, has been lobbying against the legislation.
Dan Weaks, a lobbyist for the New Mexico Wine Growers Association and The Wine Institute, told the New Mexican that some Mack executives were concerned that the bills would hinder sales from wineries in other states – something which both Weaks and Griego deny would happen.
Why would an oil company be concerned about legislation dealing with wineries? “Apparently (Mack employees) have some kind of a wine club and they were concerned that the bills would stop them from getting their wine from out-of-state wineries,” Weaks said. “That’s not what (the bills) do.”
Dan Girand, who is in charge of Mack Energy’s legislative and regulatory affairs, declined to comment Monday.
The governor has until Friday to act on bills passed during the 2011 legislative session, which adjourned last month.
Contact Steve Terrell at (505) 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.
Source: http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_17782203
Fine dining in Manila Philippines, wine and dine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar, great wine list
Many tourists traveling north to Baguio or Bataan make a stop at Clark Philippines to relax and unwind at this famous fine dining restaurant. Conveniently located in the Mimosa Leisure Golf Estate, next to the Casino and the well known 36-hole championship golf course of Mimosa, frequently visited Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar is a well known destination for tourists and residents of Angeles City Pampanga and Manila to be one of the best fine dining restaurants in the Philippines. Wine lovers from Manila and all other cities in Asia already know of Yats Restaurant for its award winning 2700-item wine list.
Places to go during holidays in Philippines, wine & dine in Clark at Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge, one of 600 restaurants in the world to win Wine Spectator’s Best of Awards of Excellence Wine List.
Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited fine dining restaurant in Pampanga is Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Clark Philippines. Reasons given include good food, excellent service, an elegant, cozy and upscale ambience, availability of exclusive private dining rooms, a nice garden for outdoor alfresco dining and cocktail parties. There are two very impressive wine cellars that contain some of the world’s finest wines and rare vintages. Yats Restaurant is already recognized as one of the top rated restaurants in the Philippines. It is frequently visited not only by local residents but also tourists arriving in the Philippines for a memorable dining experience.
The best place to hold group dinners in Clark Pampanga is Yats Restaurant and Wine Lounge. Located in the upscale and quiet location of Mimosa Leisure Estate that is famous for its Championship golf course and the Clark casino, this top rated restaurant is highly recommended for event organizers looking for a good restaurant to hold group dinners. Companies in Subic and Angeles City Pampanga frequently choose this restaurant in Clark for meetings, parties and functions. Residents of nearby Angeles City, San Fernando and other cities of Pampanga travel to Clark to hold their group dinners and social gatherings in this popular restaurant in Clark. Yats Restaurant is well known among residents of Manila to be a place to visit whenever they travel out of town on a getaway to the north towards Subic, Tarlac, Baguio or Pampanga. Very often, group dinners, family gatherings and social functions are held in this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines.
For comments, inquiries and reservations click on Click here for inquiry and reservations
Restaurant@Yats-International.com
(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
Ask for Pedro and Rechel
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Pampanga? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
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