A. No winery shall unreasonably withhold or delay consent to any transfer of the wholesaler’s business or transfer of the stock or other interest in the wholesalership, whenever the wholesaler to be substituted meets the material and reasonable qualifications and standards required of its wholesalers. Whenever a transfer of a wholesaler’s business occurs, the purchaser shall assume all the obligations imposed on and succeed to all the rights held by the selling wholesaler by virtue of any agreement between the selling wholesaler and one or more wineries entered into prior to the transfer.

B. Notwithstanding any provision in subsection A, no winery shall withhold consent to, or in any manner retain a right of prior approval of, the transfer of the wholesaler’s business to a member or members of the wholesaler’s family. However, subsequent to such transfer, the rights and obligations of the wholesalership and its owners shall in all respects be governed by the provisions of this chapter. As used in this subsection, “family” means the wholesaler’s spouse, parents, siblings, children, stepchildren, and lineal descendants, including those by adoption.

History

Code 1950, § 4-118.29; 1985, c. 542, § 4-118.49; 1989, c. 10; 1993, c. 866.