An End to Small Wineries?

I like wine.  A lot.  As in, I'd love to get into the wine business somehow.  But, I don't like mass market wine--we're talking Beringer, Sutter Home, Barefoot, etc.  Grocery Store Wine.  I've already told you I'm a wine snob and I meant it. 

I like wineries that stay true to the grapes, not those that aim to appeal to the greatest number of people or try to insure their wines taste the exact same year after year.  Often, these are smaller, more personal wineries.  Family owned.  Examples include Brochelle and Lioco.  There are many more, these are just two that I know vary depending on the year and their vines.  These types of wineries often depend on direct shipping in order to stay in business.  They have Wine Clubs where members are guaranteed a certain number/varietal of each vintage.  The wineries ship these members their wine directly, versus going through a larger organization/board.  If I lived in a state that didn't have antequated laws, I would be a member of at least one wine club.  But alas, Alabama will not allow shipping of alochol.  Everything has to go through the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board.

Well, if H.R. 5034 makes it through Congress and is signed by the President, it appears as though the rest of the nation will be subject to laws similar to Alabama.  Wineries will no longer be able to ship directly to patrons.  The purpose is to reaffirm and protect the authority of the States to regulate alcohol (in other words, tax and prevent certain types from entering the state). The bill was  lobbied for by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).  Evidently states and the NBWA (i.e. wholesale distributors) are concerned of an "alcohol epidemic."  Give me a break!  Wholesalers still sell alcohol--they just sell it directly to the state and don't want to be threatened!

I've got some more research to do, but from what I've seen thus far, I am displeased and I see a letter to my Congressman and Senators in the near future.

Wine Spectator has provided an interesting article that discusses both the legislation and the hearing that came before the legislation.  It makes some interesting points, via quotes from various individuals regarding the monopolies wholesalers are trying to set up, the competition they are attempting to stifle at all costs, and the fact that cheap and easy to access alcohol will be more harmful than they are willing to admit.  Okay, I need to stop.  I could keep going.  Just read the article.


On a side note...the fencing club finally emailed me back!  Looks like I'll be able to take the beginning fencing class!!