Under the current state law, the permit granted to a farm winery enables it to sell its wine either retail or wholesale.

Virginia will have more than 90 licensed farm wineries in production in 2005; there were 29 in 1990.

Many of the farm wineries are in idyllic settings, seductive spots for picnicking and strolling.

The steady increase in Virginia's farm wineries has been striking.

This would make it possible for farm wineries to open restaurants as another way to sell their wine.

A class of winery license known as the farm winery allows farms to produce and sell wines on site.

In 1970 there were 441 commercial and farm wineries in 34 states; by 1985 the number had reached 1,289 in 41 states.

New York had five farm wineries after passage of its farm winery law in 1976; today, it has 53.

The commercial wineries' licensing fees are higher than for the farm wineries, and they don't have the retail sale privileges of the smaller producers.

At present, farm wineries are permitted one retail outlet on their premises and another off premises to sell bottled wine only.