From freethegrapes.com
"The Majority of States Now Allow Direct Shipping. Four states—Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia—were added to the list of states that now allow interstate, direct-to-consumer wine shipments. This brings the total number of legal states to 26, representing 53% of U.S. wine consumption (source: 2001 figures from Adams Wine Handbook 2002). Eighteen years ago, no states had enabling legislation; this year, more states turned in 2003 than any year."
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My take:
Who knows where this takes us, but it does raise some interesting benefits and consequences should more state turn. The winners to me if this continues would be the small wineries that do not get on shelves, and of course consumers.
The losers to me would be the liquor distributors who have controlled the flow into these stores, and probably the Kendall Jacksons and Mondavi's of the world who have a seat on every store shelf in the country.
New York has had a state court rule in favor of overturning the interstate restrictions. The defenders of the restrictions in NY and in other state cases have been the distributors (Charmer etc.) The winery reps have argued that there are more wineries than ever and more wineries are going out of business. It is unconstitutional, in their opinion. It is in the middle of appeals in NY now, from what I have read.
These restrictions were put in place after prohibition, so the states could control the traffic of alcohol into their state. It was seen as a compromise to overturn prohibition federally. It is obvious that it's only practical reason for continuing now is the control held by the big producers, distributors and their political power.
Most feel (from what I have read), if they lose any more states, that this is going to the Supreme court.
Original Post
Grrrrrr