Archive for the ‘Wine Legal Battles’ Category
Here’s good news… The Florida legislature has apparently refused to pass a bill that would have put a cap on the size of the winery that is allowed to ship wine to Florida consumers. The Florida House passed a bill restricting direct shipping only to those wineries that produced 250,000 gallons of wine annually or less. The cap provision is protectionism, pure and simple. It is a provision that protects large distributors from having to compete with the convenience that…
A critical ruling handed down in Washington State by U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman is being appealed by the State. This is good. But there’s also another interesting nugget in this development in what is known as the "Costco Case." First the good. An article reports: "In its appeal, the state will argue that the judge erred when she ruled that federal antitrust laws take precedence over the state’s right to regulate alcohol. The 21st Amendment, passed in 1933,…
First, Georgia, the former Soviet satellite, sees Russia attempt to kill its wine industry by instituting a ban on importation of Georgian wine, and all for political reasons. Then, this headline comes out of Georgia: HAIL DESTROYS 80% OF VINEYARDS IN EASTERN GEORGIA What’s it take for a poor little Georgian winemaker to get a break? First it’s Mother Putin then Mother Nature out to get these guys. Eastern Georgia is the source of a significant percentage of the Georgian…
Is it OK to question the policy that drinking alcohol should be outlawed for anyone under 21 years of age? Or if you do, are you promoting inappropriate behavior? You don’t hear many people advocating that the drinking age be lowered from 21. It’s a no win argument that will lead to being painted as irresponsible and uncaring for the well being of America’s youth. But the fact is, a drinking age of 21 is simply ludicrous. Diageo, one of…
$1,400,000. This is the price that Florida legislators are willing to take in order to allow wine wholesalers in that state to bend over and have at Florida’s wine lovers. Over the past five years, the Florida alcohol wholesalers have contributed more than $1.4 Million to Florida legislators. What does that buy? Besides politicians, it purchases a restriction that will prevent Florida consumers from purchasing wines directly from some of America’s largest wineries. If you ask me, that a piss…
