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Napa winery sues over closure rules, is SLO County next?

May 29, 2020

A Napa County winery owner filed suit on Thursday against state officials over what he calls unfair restrictions regarding reopening businesses.

While the state is permitting wineries that serve meals to reopen, wineries that do not serve food cannot open during phase two. In Napa County, wineries are barred from offering any type of food service.

The lawsuit filed by Camus Vineyards, argues that wineries are being treated differently than restaurants and other businesses. The suit also says that officials have a duty to treat similar businesses fairly.

“As applied to Caymus, and over 400 other wineries with facilities in Napa County, the governor’s and state public health officer’s orders fail to do so,” the lawsuit says. “Run-of-the-mill retailers like toy stores may reopen. Restaurants offering indoor food service may reopen. Wineries that provide “sit-down, dine-in meals” may reopen. But wineries dedicated to wine tasting, like Caymus, may not.”

Throughout the United States, reopening rules have varied, with public officials regularly changing the rules as they attempt to control the novel virus. This has led to a barrage of lawsuits from bars, art galleries, restaurants and factories.

In San Luis Obispo County, there are currently discussion of a possible lawsuit against the county regarding a May 15 executive order barring hotel from having more than 50 percent occupancy, because the order is allegedly deficient in its production and arbitrary.


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Well, wine is gross. That makes this choice really easy. Drink beer.


-15

Just keep voting democrat and watch your cities, businesses, and good people burn.


This governor, legislature, and heads of these liberal controlled municipalities are drunk with power and no sense of what’s right for the citizens of this state.


The insanity prevails.


32

Oh, so Republican Govs didnt do the same and lockdown? People like you sew discord amongst neighbors Bob, Anger will give you an Infarction, stroke, or syncope Bob, a slippery slope, sad! The only insanity I see are your comments.


-21

Sure, that’s right, the governor and all those evil liberal politicians are out to destroy the wine industry. Sounds likely?!?


Couldn’t it be that officials would rather see as few of these places open as possible to mitigate gatherings and the spread of this disease? And, by the way, I’ve known many winery owners and not one of them couldn’t have financially withstood a 3-4 month shutdown. Plus, most of these places qualify as small businesses and were able to tap into the PPP program.


But, don’t let me keep you from your rant about how everybody’s getting screwed except for Democrats.


-22

Yes, it’s so much safer in preventing COVID-19 if in addition to touching a wine glass, you also touch utensils, plates, and food prepared by people you can’t see, while sitting close to others in your party of an hour or two. Much better than just spending a short time tasting a few pours.


40

Sarcastically, much better to drink talking over everybody’s food than take a few sips, buy and leave. This food-wine versus just wine tasting differentiation is stupid.

BTW how about abolishing the neoprohibitionist ABC and TTB with regards to low alcohol wine. Low revenue generating, high hassle, tax system. After all, low octane alcohol has been around for 7,000 years, was the first miracle, and even I can make it without trying. Some of this should count.


5