Anti-Consumer Wine Legislation Based on Faulty Claims, Says Specialty Wine Retailers Association.-- Wineries, Not Retailers, the Primary Source of Wine Shipments in America -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Contrary to conventional wisdom, wineries are the most common source of wine shipped directly to consumers -- not retailers as many presume pre·sume v. pre·sumed, pre·sum·ing, pre·sumes v.tr. 1. To take for granted as being true in the absence of proof to the contrary: We presumed she was innocent. . In a survey of state regulatory bodies that issue both retailers and wineries licenses for the shipment of wine to consumers conducted by the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, it was found that wine retailers only represent a small portion of the license holders. The survey of permits issued in New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). , Nevada, North Dakota North Dakota, state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). , Nebraska, Oregon and Wyoming found retailers hold only 15-20% of the permits issued. "Many state regulators and legislators assume that because there are many more wine retailers in America than wineries, retailers will overwhelm o·ver·whelm tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms 1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline. 2. a. any system that issues permits for direct shipment of wine and as a result choose to ban out-of-state retailers from shipping wine," explained Tom Wark, Executive Director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association. "It turns out that it's largely wineries, not retailers, that obtain permits to ship wine direct to consumers." NUMEROUS STATES ATTACK CONSUMERS ACCESS TO WINE In part because of the unjustified fear that retailers will overwhelm a regulatory agency regulatory agency Independent government commission charged by the legislature with setting and enforcing standards for specific industries in the private sector. The concept was invented by the U.S. that administers wine shipping licenses, many states have passed or attempted to pass legislation that prohibits consumers from purchasing wine from out-of-state retailers. This unjustified sentiment was recently offered by Craig Wolf, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association, in an interview with Wine & Spirits Daily: "There are scores of thousands of retailers, and if the state allows retailers in addition to wineries to ship, how is it possible that they will ever be able to regulate those sales?" In 2007 legislation has been introduced or passed in Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Florida, West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. , and Wisconsin that either prohibited or severely limited consumers' ability to purchase wine from out-of-state retailers. "States worried about regulating out-of-state wine shippers should not be focused on retailers since they represent the minority," said Wark. "The facts show that the vast majority of wine retailers are concerned with their brick and mortar See bricks and mortar. store, not the Internet." Specialty Wine Retailers Association advocates on behalf of wine retailers and consumers for fair wine shipping laws. More information is available at: www.specialtywineretailers.org. |
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