Wakefield Farmers' Market to Sell Wine This Year

[Editor's note: A previous version of this article reported that the Still River Winery would be selling wine at this year's farmers' market. That winery has decided not to participate in the Wakefield market. Charlton Orchards will still be participating.]

The 2011 Wakefield Farmers’ Market will be selling bottled wine from a local winery this year, thanks to a special allowance for wine sales at farmers' markets recently passed into law in Massachusetts and approval from the Wakefield Board of Selectmen.

The winery, Charlton Orchards from Charlton, MA specializes in interesting wine products, from blackberry wine to apple wine, and will have its wines on sale from the beginning of the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from July 9 through October 8, from 9am – 1 p.m.

“The reason why I’d love to see it in Wakefield, is it's supporting local famers, it’s a local product and I think it would draw more people to the market,” said Wendy Dennis, the director of the market.

However, that allowance came down to a narrow vote among the Board of Selectmen, who approved the sale by a slim 4-3 margin.

“I don’t think we should be bringing in business to compete with our existing five liquor stores,” Selectmen Paul DiNocco said. “I can’t support having two businesses come in that are going to take away from their current five,” he said.

Dennis countered that the products offered by the local wineries aren’t the types of wines you can buy in local businesses.

“These are orchard wines that you don’t see in local package stores,” she said. “I’d love to see our local stores carry them,” she added.

Selectmen John Encarnacao noted that existing liquor stores have to pay a $2,000 licensing fee to do business in Wakefield, whereas these businesses would only have to pay a $50 fee to be part of the Farmers’ Market.

“I have a problem with that,” he said.

However, Selectmen Glynn noted that every product at the farmers’ market is competition with another business in town in some way, shape or form.

“I respect the package store’s stance, but for Saturdays if you’re at the Farmers’ Market and picking up vegetables, I don’t think there’s any harm done selling wine for a few hours on a Sunday. They’re not selling beer and liquor and they don’t have the operating hours a liquor store would either,” he said.

“You can’t stop competition,” Glynn added.

Selectmen Jim Good, Selectmen Encarnacao, and Selectmen DiNocco voted against the sale of wine at the Farmers’ Market, and Selectmen Albert Tuco, Selectmen Glynn, Selectmen Tiziano Doto, and Selectmen Betsy Sheeran voted to allow the vendors to sell their wines.

“When I first heard about this thought it was going to be wine tasting no in favor of that,” Selectmen Sheerhan said. “My idea of the famer’s market had been to be a venue that would bring people to this community, … and they might move down into the business district and bring business to other businesses that aren’t showcased at the Farmers’ Market.  This being presented the way it is I think I can support it for the limited time it will be there.”