Archive for the ‘Regulation’ Category
Pennsylvania Wine Kiosks: The Experiment Fails But Will Continue
May 3rd, 2011 by Tom Johnson
In a shocking development, sales at Pennsylvania’s ridiculous wine kiosks are not living up to projections. The break-even point is 50 bottles a day per machine; actual sales are nowhere near that. A reporter who staked-out a machine in a Susquehanna Township grocery store witnessed one customer in two hours: At the Shop ‘n Save in [...]
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We Take Baby Steps
April 30th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
Wine Spectator has excellent round-up of state legislative activities involving the regulation of wine. In summary: seven states have either liberalized or are considering the liberalization of their wine laws. Most of those changes have to do with allowing local wineries to ship directly to customers, a delicate legal area given that Granholm vs. Heald [...]
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Maryland Approves Direct Shipping
April 14th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
The governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, has signed is expected to sign a law allowing direct shipping by wineries. The law is the result of legislative action at the state level — that is, wine drinkers banding together to press for their rights. It was comically demonstrated to be necessary because Maryland is surrounded by [...]
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Cutting To the Chase On Direct Shipping
April 13th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
During a debate on direct shipping of wine, Florida legislators got down to the basics of the argument: “Why are we discriminating against those wineries whose parent company produces more than 250 gallons?” asked Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland. “Other than protectionism, what other possible reason could there be?” “Protectionism has been excoriated in this conversation [...]
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Maryland, My Maryland
March 23rd, 2011 by Tom Johnson
Maryland is getting closer to legalizing direct wine shipment through legislative processes. Beer wholesalers, by the way, reluctantly support the legislation because it contains limits on the amount an individual can ship. The 18-case limit gives the vast majority of consumers all the capacity they need without dismantling the existing distribution system. This is a [...]
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The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Self-Interested
March 18th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
HR 5034, bane of direct shipping or act of political theater, depending on who you choose to believe, has been reintroduced in the new Congress. It is now HR 1161. While the text of the new legislation has not been published (Monday, I think), it is reportedly much the same as the old legislation. What [...]
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Brunello Again
March 15th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
Italy has certified that the 2006 Brunello di Montalcino really is Brunello di Montalcino — unlike earlier vintages that were not made entirely of Sangiovese. Because Italy has certified the vintage, the U.S. Government will allow the 2006 vintage into the country. So we can breathe a sigh of relief that there’s one more wine [...]
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Perhaps We Could Limit It to a Little Sherry Before Copulation
March 10th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
The town of West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard — outpost of well-to-do descendants of puritans, bluebloods of a certain age — is considering allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages. Well, beer and wine, anyway. The town’s debate over whether to repeal Prohibition is a throwback to a discourse long lost, as if the ghosts of John Adams and [...]
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Supremes Decide Not Much Will Change
March 7th, 2011 by Tom Johnson
The Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal in Wine Country Gift Baskets vs. Steen, a follow-on case to Granholm vs. Heald, this time deciding whether states can bar out-of-state retailers from delivering in a state, while allowing in-state retailers to continue their delivery services. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled [...]
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Change is Scary: Two Examples of Why Wine Laws Rationalize So Slowly
March 1st, 2011 by Tom Johnson
Maryland is now arguing about whether it should make it legal for restaurants to allow patrons to bring their own wine. This is not an end-run around liquor laws, but is in fact a nice service that allows diners to bring special bottles to special dinners. (Last Saturday, for example, my wife and I brought [...]
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