WASHINGTON – The number of wineries in Virginia has been growing by leaps and bounds, but one county has ordered new restrictions on wineries.
Brian Roeder who owns the Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane, says new restrictions by Fauquier County will hurt business.
“They’ve passed an ordinance that would restrict business hours, that would restrict what it is we can and cannot sell and the number of people who can come on our properties after hours,” he says.
Governor Bob McDonnell has been encouraging the growth of wineries as a part of Virginia’s economy.
But in Fauquier the concern over its 26 wineries includes crowds, alcohol and rural roads.
Roeder says the wineries and their customers have been responsible and the restrictions are a sledge hammer that will damage a key sector of the county’s economy.
He’s hoping the county will ratchet back some of the restrictions.
Virignia is now home to 230 wineries — the only states that have more are California, New York, Oregon and Washington state.
WTOP’s Dick Uliano contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
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