Maine Revised Statutes Title 28-A. Liquors § 1205. Taste testing of wine

A. Wine may not be served to persons who have not yet attained the age of 21 years;

B. A person may not be served more than a total of 5 ounces of wine having an alcohol content of 14% or less; and, for wine having an alcohol content greater than 14%, a person may not be served more than a total of 3 ounces of wine;

C. A person may not be charged a fee for any wine served as part of a taste-testing event;

D. A person may not be served who is visibly intoxicated;

E. A taste-testing event must be limited to a designated area;

F. A taste-testing event must be conducted within the hours of retail sale established in this Title;

G. Deleted. Laws 2019, c. 79, § 2, eff. May 8, 2019.

H. The retail licensee may conduct an unlimited number of taste-testing events per month. If the retail licensee complies with the applicable requirements of sections 460 and 1207, the retail licensee may offer spirits and malt liquor for tasting at the same time as wine;

I. A taste-testing event is not allowed in any municipality where on-premises and off-premises sales are not allowed pursuant to chapter 5;  1

J. Deleted. Laws 2019, c. 79, § 2, eff. May 8, 2019.

K. The retail licensee must purchase all wine served at a taste-testing event from a wholesale licensee;

L. Prior to a taste-testing event, the retail licensee shall post prominently at the entrance to the store a sign that announces the date and time of the event; and

M. An off-premises retail licensee, with prior approval from the bureau, may conduct an invitation-only taste-testing event at the off-premises retail licensee's premises in place of or to coincide with a taste-testing event that is open to the public. A taste-testing event that is exclusively invitation only is not subject to the posting requirement in paragraph L.

A. The retail licensee shall request authority to conduct a taste-testing event using forms prescribed by the bureau.

B. The retail licensee may submit a separate form for each taste-testing event or a single form listing some or all of the taste-testing events the retail licensee requests authority to conduct in a calendar month under this section, section 460 and section 1207.

C. The request must indicate the date and time for each taste-testing event and the liquor product or products that will be offered at each event.

D. The request must indicate whether a sales representative licensed under section 1502 will be pouring or providing samples, or both, for each taste-testing event and include verification that the sales representative has successfully completed an alcohol server education course approved by the bureau.