NASHVILLE (AP) - The latest effort to allow wine to be sold in Tennessee supermarkets has failed for lack of a sponsor in the state Senate.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Republican Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol had expected a better fate for his bill because it would require voters to approve supermarket wine sales in their city or county (http://bit.ly/zYrOic ).

In Lundberg's words: "Who could be against letting people vote?"

But David McMahan, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association, argued that local referendums would allow big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Costco to spend large amounts of money to spread what he called "misinformation."

Lundberg said that while his latest effort has failed, there are still similar measures left over from last session that could be resurrected.