Wine in Ohio…

Ohio wine prices won’t pop corks in region

Monday, January 16, 2006

By Monique Curet and Tracy Turner

Ohio appears to be in the middle of the pack in terms of the retail price charged in the region.

An Ohio lawmaker says the state’s wine prices consistently are higher than those of other states. Rep. Bill Seitz, RCincinnati, has proposed changes to the rules affecting wine sales in Ohio, where a 33.3 percent wholesale-price markup is required.

But an informal, random survey of wine prices in neighboring states showed that Ohio retail prices were about average and, in some cases, lower.

Three nearby states — Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan — have no minimum markups on alcohol.

Kentucky’s only restriction is that wholesalers and retailers have to sell alcohol for more than what it cost them to buy it, said David Barr, staff attorney for the state’s Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control. “We’re one of those market states,” he said.

Michigan also has some winesales rules, including that retailers post their wine prices with the state liquor-control commission and sell products at those posted prices, spokesman Ken Wozniak said.

Pennsylvania has a mandatory 30 percent wholesale and retail markup. All wines in that state are sold through stores operated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, spokeswoman Molly McGowan said.

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