Vintner's restaurant license

Vintner's restaurants are retail establishments that sell food for consumption on the premises and manufacture no more than 250,000 gallons of wine on its premises each year.

Sales and service

  • Sale, service and consumption of beer, wine, and liquor by the drink for on-premises consumption; manufacture wine on the licensed premises and can:
    • Furnish manufactured wine for consumption on the licensed premises.
    • Sell the manufactured wine to independent wholesalers for distribution to retailers.
    • Sell the manufactured wine by the package for off-premises consumption.
    • Sell the manufactured wine at wholesale to licensed retailers up to 50,000 gallons per calendar year.
  • Must have a full kitchen with adequate equipment to prepare meals. Meals must be available under the licensee's exclusive management and control.
  • At least 15% of the gross annual income from on-premises food and drink must be from the sale of food.

Hours of operation

On-premises consumption: Seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Off-premises consumption: Seven days a week from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Multiple interests

Multiple ownership is legal with the following classes of liquor licenses:

  • Arts licenses
  • Beer and wine licenses
  • Brew pub licenses
  • Club licenses
  • Fermented malt beverage licenses
  • Hotel and restaurant and tavern liquor licenses
  • Hotel and restaurant with optional premises
  • Other vintner's restaurant licenses
  • Public transportation system licenses
  • Racetrack licenses
  • Retail gaming tavern licenses

Distance restriction

A 500-foot distance restriction from colleges, universities, and seminaries applies to new vintner's restaurant applications. (This is by rule and regulation of the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses.)

Managers

The names of all managers of vintner's restaurant licenses must be provided to local and state licensing authorities whether a principal to the licensee or someone else manages the licensed premises.

Any changes in managers of vintner's restaurant licenses must be reported to the city and the state within 30 days of the change.