Archive for the ‘Shipping Wine’ Category
This blog reaches upwards of 25,000+ unique individuals monthly. Half of those work in or around the wine industry. This Manifesto is meant for them. If it leads to discussion, anger, contemplation or results—any of that would be a fine outcome. A MANIFESTO OF REFORM AND CHANGE TO THE WINE INDUSTRY Let us concede that as a culture early embedded with a mistrust of alcohol and with a history of such abusive practices surrounding the sale and use of alcohol…
Many of us have watched opponents of direct shipping cynically use the clarion call of "KIDS, BUT THE KIDS!" for years in their attempt to prevent the shipment of wines across state lines and directly to the homes of consumers. Distributors can't be said to have no concern for the well being of children. They have children too, after all. But their faux concern for kids buying wine over the Internet then being on hand when the package arrives, being…
As I write this, President Obama is holding court at Blair House and discussing with members of congress the issue of healthcare. It's a contentious issue that will define the President's first term and that has highlighted many of the philosophical divides inside congress and among the American people. While I'm not convinced the Healthcare Summit will do anything more than provide a televised forum for staring into the gulf that is political partisanship, it an interesting discussion and helps…
We get mail here at FERMENTATION. Often that mail is from good folks who just have questions that need answers. I'm always happy to oblige. For example, I recently received this email from a happy reader who obviously follows this blog: Tom: I want to know who made you the king of wine sales? If you don't like the three tier system and distributors then why don't you find another country where you can Flack for your shitty wineries and…
Reason apparently lives and discrimination for the sake of discrimination is again shot down. That's the conclusion I draw from a decision today that came out of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston where Family Winemakers of California challenged that state's law that forced wineries over 30,000 gallons annual production to choose to sell direct to consumers or be distributed only by wholesalers. Wineries under 30,000 gallons did not have to make this choice. Furthermore, under the MA…
