Wine Retailers Face Tough Internet Laws

As much as I believe we should support our local wine stores, sometimes there are wines that you can't get from the local stores. In moments like that it would seem logical to turn to the internet. Unfortunately for people in many states, out-of-state internet retailers are not allowed to sell wine. While in 2005, the Supreme Court opened up the rules regarding letting wineries ship out of state. A total of 36 states and the District of Columbia allow wineries to ship directly to residents in some capacity. The rules however, do not apply to retailers. As this LA Times article states, retailers can ship to just 14 states, and that will drop to 13 this summer. There is even a possibility that California, which produces the most wine and has the least rules on selling it, could the list. There is already a law on the books that stops Californias from buying wine from out-of-state retailers. The state attorney general's office has currently put a hold on the law to give wine associations the chance to persuade lawmakers to change the laws.

Wine wholesalers and distributors are against any relaxing of the laws and say the laws help reduce access by minors. One the other side, the retailers say that allowing consumers to order directly gives them more choice and can save them money. i think most wine lovers would be in favor of laws that open wine sales over the internet but often many people aren't aware of these laws until they try to order a bottle and find themselves locked out.