My Dilemma…
Here’s my dilemma…
I want to write more about the assault in Illinois on the right of consumers to purchase wine direct from wineries. This right is in the early stages of being dismantled. The underlying issues are complex and very important. And I feel strongly about these issues. There is very little I can do, except get the word out.
Yet, I know that among Fermentation readers the interest in in this topic is not broad. It’s deep among a few, but it’s not a broad interest this blog’s readers. And the fact is, I really do enjoy bringing good, informative, compelling posts that most Fermentation readers will enjoy. In the time I have each day to devote to Fermentation, this is what I seek to do. I thought about this quite a bit yesterday.
So with that in mind, I want to apologize to my regular readers. I’m going to continue to write about this, though not exclusively. But I am going to continue to explore and expose the issues involved in what is becoming a really severe threat to small wineries in many states where the wine industry isn’t as big as in California.
In the end, you do what you what you can about those things you care about.
So those of you who also care and want to explore the relationship between power and fairness and government and the wine industry…get ready. For those of you less inclined in this area, Fermentation has you in mind, will remain what it has been for you, but might get a little focused in the near future.
Don’t stop hammering on these very point issues, Tom. You seem to be the only person (or one of the few) really dedicated to stripping the greed and hypocrisy from the arguments of the wholesalers, retailers and state representatives who want to deprive American wine consumers of their rights to enjoy a legal product.
Keep it up, Tom! We’re not complaining about you writing about Wine Shipping in the slightest. So stop apologizing and kick the anti-shippers butts!
Keep at it, Tom. I could care less about the Illinois shipping situation specifucally…but I still enjoy reading your insights on this any any number of issues. Plus, it’s good background information to have because the landscape is always changing these days.
It IS important no matter where you live as each state that bans all shipping strengthens the argument to shut down shipping in other states. And now is a critical time in the process in Illinois, so keep it up. I believe Mark at the Dayton Daily News will be working on a similar topic in Ohio this week.
jens at cincinnati wine
Keep writing about it! I live in Illinois and you’re the only one talking about this that I know of. Illinois government is probably the most corrupt of all the states, I can’t stand it, it’s disgusting and enough to make me want to move to Indiana.
Anyone who enjoys wine ahould be concerned about this issue. There are so many small wineries whose product can only be enjoyed by direct purchase. My experience as a Beverage Manager has led me to believe that most of the laws concerning alcoholic beverages and particularly wine are really stupid. In Maryland, for instance, wine donated to a social event had to be purchased by the hotel and then the hotel was reimbursed by the distributor, go figure!
Tom:
Please write what you want to write about. This is your blog, after all. It’s easy to convince yourself that you should be writing what it is that you think your readers want to read and that may hold if you were publishing a magazine. But a blog or a newsletter are different — they’re personal. And most likely people came here because what you started to do — write daily about your journey through the wine world — is what they wanted to read.