Vote on County Ordinance could change local wine scene

Breaking News!

Not really, but this is the first I'm hearing about this, and I love the jolt of adrenaline that comes from those two words.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will vote tomorrow on legislation that could have a huge impact on the SD wine scene.

The Board will decide whether to approve the San Diego Winery Ordinance, which would allow small wineries in unincorporated areas of the county that bottle less than 12,000 gallons of wine per year to sell their wine on-site. Right now, obtaining the permits and zoning necessary to build tasting rooms in the county is an expensive and complicated endeavor, but a change in the policy would simplify the process and could lead to new hubs of wine drinking activity that would boost our local reputation.

Vince Vaquez of The Daily Transcript has a great overview of the issue posted on The Transcript's site: http://bit.ly/aBUKiW.

Of course, I think this would be an awesome development, but there are two sides to every story. Check out this news piece from Channel 10 that describes why Ramona residents are worried about what will happen to their quiet community if the ordinance is passed:  http://bit.ly/bqvhEP.

I'll keep you posted when I find out more...