State Law: Legal Amounts of Homemade Wine
Maryland laws regarding homemade wine are pursuant to the federal law which states the following:
The aggregate amount of wine exempt from tax under this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed – (1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or (2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.
State Alcoholic Beverages Control Agency
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax (Agency of the Comptroller of Maryland)
Goldstein Treasury Building
P.O. Box 2999
Annapolis, MD 21404-2999
Phone: 410.260-7314
Fax: 410.974.3201
Statute Title & Description
Article 2B Alcoholic Beverages
Title1. General Provisions.
Subtitle 1. Generally.
“Alcoholic beverages” means alcohol, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, cordial, beer, ale, porter, stout, wine, cider, and any other spirituous, vinous, malt or fermented liquor, liquid, or compound, by whatever name called, which contains, except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume, which is fit for beverage purposes.
“Alcoholic beverages” does not include a confectionery food product that contains up to 5 percent of alcohol by volume and is regulated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene under § 21-209 of the Health – General Article.
“Family wine” means homemade wine produced for home consumption and not for sale and includes wine produced at a licensed family beer and wine facility.
“Light wine” means any naturally fermented wine containing not in excess of 15.5 percent of alcohol by volume.
“Person” means a natural person, an association, a partnership, a corporation, or a state, political subdivision, or municipality, or any agency or instrumentality of the State, any political subdivision, or municipality.
“Sparkling wine” means champagne or any artificially carbonated wine.
Title 1. General Provisions
Subtitle 2. Prohibition without License
Family wine, beer, or cider for home consumption, etc. –
(1) A license or permit is not required for the manufacture of family wine, beer, or cider exclusively for home consumption, competition, or use in a licensed national family wine exhibition and not for sale.
(2) In St. Mary’s County, cider or native wines may be sold by their maker without a license.
NOTE: The information presented here is not a substitute for legal advice. For detailed information regarding the laws of your state please contact the state’s governing agency and/or a lawyer licensed to practice in your state.
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