§2. Definitions

            For purposes of this Chapter, the following terms have the respective meanings ascribed to them in this Section, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

            (1) "Alcoholic beverages" means any fluid or solid capable of being converted into fluid, suitable for human consumption and having an alcoholic content of more than six per cent by volume, including alcohol.

            (2) "Bottler of wine" means any wine wholesaler who imports wine into the state in bulk and puts it in a closed container for distribution to other wholesale dealers.

            (3) "Broker" means any person, other than licensed dealers, who may solicit, receive, or transmit orders for beverage alcohol as an agent of one or more licensed dealers, and does not maintain an inventory of, possess a property right in, or deliver any beverage alcohol.

            (4) "Case of wine" means nine liters of wine by volume which may be packaged in any of the following ways:

            (a) Twelve seven-hundred-fifty-milliliter bottles.

            (b) Six one-and-one-half-liter bottles.

            (c) Three three-liter bottles.

            (5) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control who shall be the assistant secretary of the office of alcohol and tobacco control in the Department of Revenue.

            (6) "Cordial liquors and specialties" means liquor obtained by the process of mixing or redistilling with or over fruit, flowers, plants, or juices therefrom and to which sugar or dextrose, or both, have been added in an amount not less than two and one-half per cent by weight of the finished product.

            (7) "Dealer" means any person who, as a business, manufactures, blends, rectifies, distills, processes, imports, stores, uses, handles, holds, sells, offers for sale, solicits orders for the sale of, distributes, delivers, serves, or transports any alcoholic beverage in the state or engages herein in any business transaction relating to any such beverage.

            (8) For purposes of R.S. 26:153, "delivery" means a delivery of an alcoholic beverage in a container sealed by the manufacturer of the alcoholic beverage by a liquor retailer permitted pursuant to R.S. 26:71(A)(3)(b) or by a retailer permitted to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption and their employees. Delivery shall be permitted only in those areas where the sale of alcoholic beverages are permitted. Delivery by a retailer shall not extend past the boundaries of the parish where the retailer's permitted establishment is located. Prior to delivering alcoholic beverages, a retailer shall give notice to and receive permission from the office of alcohol and tobacco control subject to rules promulgated by the commissioner as authorized by this Section.

            (9) "Dinner theater" means an establishment that is a "restaurant establishment", as defined by R.S. 26:73(C)(1), where food orders are taken and food service is provided in both a restaurant dining area and where patrons are seated to view live theatrical productions or the showing of film, still pictures, electronic or digital reproductions, or other visual reproductions.

            (10) "Distill, distilling, and distilled" means the process of producing liquor by distillation through one or more stills located at a licensed premises as part of a distiller's process of engaging in the material and essential aspects of manufacturing the distilled spirits for human consumption.

            (11) "Electronic means" means internet-enabled technology and digital media, including but not limited to websites and consumer applications accessible through smart phones and other mobile devices.

            (12) For purposes of R.S. 26:153, "employee" means a W-2 employee of a liquor retailer permitted pursuant to R.S. 26:71(A)(3)(b) or a W-2 employee of a retailer permitted to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption. It shall not include 1099 contractors or independent contractors hired by a liquor retailer.

            (13) "Liquor" means all distilled or rectified alcoholic spirits, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, and all similar distilled alcoholic beverages, including all dilutions and mixtures of one or more of the foregoing, such as liquors, cordials, and similar compounds.

            (14) "Liquor retail distribution center" means any commercial airline that stores alcoholic beverages in sealed containers of any size at any airport regularly served by the permittee. Such possession for retail sale or distribution therefrom shall be limited to alcohol of high volume content in any quantity.

            (15) "Liquor retailer" means any dealer, other than a manufacturer or wholesaler, who sells, offers for sale, exposes for sale, or has in his possession for sale or distribution any alcoholic beverages in any quantity.

            (16) "Liquor wholesaler" means any dealer who sells any alcoholic beverage to other licensed liquor wholesale dealers or to licensed retail liquor dealers in the state or who sells alcoholic beverages for delivery beyond the borders of the state in amounts to be fixed by the commissioner, or who imports any alcoholic beverages into the state, and who meets the standards set forth in this Chapter.

            (17)(a) "Manufacturer" means any person, other than a wine producer, who personally or through any agent whatever engages in the making, blending, rectifying, or processing of any alcoholic beverage in Louisiana; engages in the making, blending, rectifying, or processing of any alcoholic beverage outside Louisiana for sale in Louisiana; or engages in the business of supplying alcoholic beverages to licensed wholesale dealers in Louisiana. A manufacturer who engages in the making, blending, rectifying, or processing of any alcoholic beverage in a facility entirely located in the state of Louisiana may sell or serve only those products that are made, blended, rectified, or processed at that facility to the public only at that facility for consumption on or off the premises but not for resale. The total amount of such sales to the public for any given month shall not exceed one case per person for each thirty-day period. Any manufacturer who sells its products to the public pursuant to this Paragraph shall remit all state and parish or municipal sales and excise taxes to the proper tax collecting authority for all products sold to the public. A manufacturer who sells or serves its products to the public pursuant to this Paragraph shall comply with all local zoning laws and regulations.

            (b) Notwithstanding Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph and R.S. 26:359(B), wine producers shall be considered manufacturers for the purposes of R.S. 26:348 and 354.

            (18) "Manufacturing distillery" or "manufacturing distiller" means any person who personally or through any agent engages in the distilling of any alcoholic beverage in Louisiana, engages in the distilling of any alcoholic beverage outside of Louisiana for sale in Louisiana, or engages in the business of supplying distilled alcoholic beverages to licensed wholesale dealers in Louisiana.

            (19) "Microdistiller" means any person who operates a microdistillery.

            (20) "Microdistillery" means a retail outlet where a microdistiller engages in the distilling, making, blending, rectifying, or processing of any alcoholic beverage in Louisiana in quantities of not more than twelve thousand gallons per year for retail sale for consumption on or off the licensed premises in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and regulations, if any, promulgated by the commissioner.

            (21) "Microvintner" means any person who operates a microwinery.

            (22) "Microwinery" means a retail outlet where a microvintner imports the juices of grapes, fruits, berries, honey, or vegetables for the purpose of fermenting such juices to produce and bottle wine in Louisiana in quantities of not more than twelve thousand gallons per year for retail sale only at that location where the wine vinification takes place for consumption on or off the licensed premises in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and regulations, if any, promulgated by the commissioner.

            (23) "Outlet" means a place where any person draws or removes any alcoholic beverage from its container for consumption on the premises.

            (24) "Package house-Class B" means a place consisting of no less than five hundred square feet of public habitable area which sells alcoholic beverages in factory sealed containers for transportation and consumption off the premises and where no person is allowed to tamper with or otherwise disrupt the manufacturer's seal on or about the licensed premises.

            (25) "Ready-to-drink beverage" means an alcoholic beverage containing low or high alcohol content as defined in this Section and R.S. 26:241, that is pre-packaged, pre-measured, and pre-mixed to be sold in a manufacturer-sealed container ready for immediate consumption.

            (26) "Regulated beverage" means any alcoholic beverage.

            (27) "Self-distribution" means distribution by a manufacturing distiller who operates a manufacturing distillery entirely located in the state of Louisiana to a retailer holding a Class A permit issued pursuant to R.S. 26:71.1, a Class B permit issued pursuant to R.S. 26:71, or a Class C permit issued pursuant to R.S. 26:71.2.

            (28) "Solicitor" means any person other than an employee of a dealer who offers for sale or solicits any orders for the sale of any regulated beverage, other than in a regularly established and licensed place of business in this state, for delivery or shipment to any point in the state, whether done as owner, agent, or servant.

            (29) "Sparkling wine" means any effervescent alcoholic beverage derived from the juice of any fruit, or synthesis thereof, charged with carbon dioxide, either artificially or as the result of secondary fermentation within the container.

            (30) "Still wine" means any non-effervescent alcoholic beverage derived from the juice of any fruit, or synthesis thereof.

            (31) "Supplier" means any person, other than a wine producer, who manufactures, makes, blends, rectifies, distills, processes, or purchases alcoholic beverages outside the state of Louisiana and imports, sells, offers for sale, solicits orders for sale, distributes, or delivers such alcoholic beverages in Louisiana.

            (32) "Third party" means an independent technology company that operates a website or consumer application on which independent liquor retailers market their products. Such third-party company shall not deal, handle, sell, offer for sale, or possess for sale alcoholic beverages or process payments for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

            (33) "Wholesale dealer" means a person who sells alcoholic beverages of high alcoholic content to licensed wholesale dealers or licensed retail dealers exclusively, within the state or to any person for delivery beyond the borders of the state to a licensed dealer in that state and who conducts a bona fide wholesale business and maintains a warehouse or warehouses for the storage and warehousing of alcoholic beverages of high alcoholic content in the area where domiciled and licensed by the state, and conducts and maintains systematic and regular solicitations, distribution, deliveries, and sales of the beverages to licensed retail dealers located within the boundary of each parish, municipality, or geographic area, as contractually defined between the wholesaler and his supplier, in which the wholesale dealer makes any sale or delivery.

            (34) "Wine package house" means a place where a person sells only sparkling wine and still wine in the original package or closed container, prepared for transportation and consumption off the premises.

            (35) "Wine producer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, personally or through any agency, cultivates and grows grapes, fruits, berries, honey, or vegetables from which wine of an alcoholic content in excess of six percent by volume is produced and bottled from a fermentation of such grapes, fruits, berries, honey, or vegetables in Louisiana or outside the state for shipments to licensed wholesale dealers within the state subject to the provisions of R.S. 26:364.

            (36) "Wine wholesaler" means any dealer who sells only sparkling wine and still wine to other licensed wholesale dealers or to licensed retail dealers for resale within the state.

            (37) "Winery" means a plot of land located in Louisiana used to cultivate and grow grapes, fruits, berries, honey, or vegetables for the purpose of fermenting such grapes, fruits, berries, honey, or vegetables to produce and bottle wine of an alcoholic content in excess of six percent by volume.

            Amended by Acts 1962, No. 463, §1; Acts 1987, No. 696, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1188, §2; eff. June 29, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 1370, §4, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, No. 657, §1; Acts 2003, No. 6, §1; Acts 2003, No. 519, §1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 803, §1; Acts 2006, No. 808, §1, eff. June 30, 2006; Acts 2010, No. 953, §1, eff. July 2, 2010; Acts 2014, No. 57, §1; Acts 2015, No. 62, §1; Acts 2015, No. 382, §1; Acts 2018, No. 449, §1; Acts 2019, No. 181, §1, eff. July 1, 2019; Acts 2019, No. 436, §1, eff. June 22, 2019; Acts 2021, No. 71, §1; Acts 2021, No. 380, §1; Acts 2023, No. 127, §1; Acts 2023, No. 129, §1; Acts 2024, No. 319, §1.