Heres why New Yorkers cant buy wine in grocery stores, bodegas even though they want to

It’s not just sour grapes.Most New Yorkers want the option of buying wine in grocery stores and bodegas — and they may finally see things change after years where all they could do was red-red whine.A new state bill would make it legal for supermarkets to stock wine, upending a longstanding restriction that limits most sales to liquor stores and has many shoppers confused over why it even exists.“The liquor stores probably want to create a monopoly,” Jamaica, Queens mechanic Anthony Green said laughing. “They both can do their thing … no need to shut anybody out.”An eye-popping 83% of New York City voters said they support allowing supermarkets to sell wine — as do 78% of all residents statewide, according to a new poll.The survey, conducted by Siena College, shows the growing support to boost accessibility to the fermented grape is going to make it more difficult to limit where wine can be sold.The question is whether lawmakers will act this year after previous efforts have ended with politicians putting a cork in the debate with no action.“We support selling wine in our grocery stores.It would expand the brand of wine — particularly wine made in New York State,” said John Catsimatidis, whose Red Apple Group owns the Gristedes Supermarket chain.Big Apple grocery stores already sell beer and even some wine with low alcohol content.Forty other states — including the District of Columbia — already allow wine sales in their grocery stores, advocates say.But not everyone is ready to toast to upending the current law.Liquor store merchants are digging in their heels, not willing to give up their exclusivity without a fight.One booze merchant said grocery stores should stay in their lane and sell food, and let liquor store owners sell wine and spirits.“I am totally against it.

We are liquor stores, that’s our business, that’s what we sell.Let us handle it,” Jimmy Kishor, manager at Best Liquors on Hillside Avenue.   “They sho...