Archive for the ‘Wine Legal Battles’ Category
Shepard Bliss (what a great name!) is the latest in what is becoming a slew of people pushing back against the wine industry in Napa and Sonoma Counties. The anti-industry activists appear to be concerned the growth in the industry will cause massive harm not only to the counties and their environments, but also to the quality of life for residents. What’s interesting about these anti-winery activists is the remarkably disingenuous way they are trying to make their case against…
Reacquainting myself of late with the history of the French Revolution, I’m reminded of that kind of gruesome immorality that can foisted upon a people when fanatics are given free rein. Maximilien Robespierre, the ultimate fanatic with a goal of creating a “virtuous society, was an object lesson in what fanaticism leads to. The number of heads that fell during his Reign of Terror trying to create this virtuous society turned streets red. Always being opposed to fanatics of nearly any…
On February 18, in front of the Chairman and Commissioners of Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC), as well as in front of the ILCC’s Acting Director, attorney Sam Vinson representing the Wine & Spirit Distributors of Illinois testified that “incarceration of one or two illegal (wine) shippers would send a strong message to other shippers that Illinois is serious about stopping illegal shipments.” Yes, a wholesaler attorney wants to see out-of-state wine shippers (wineries, retailers and consumes who ship to themselves)…
One of the most notable aspects of the various wine and alcohol-related political battles is that they rarely breakdown on partisan (Right versus Left) lines. There is no Republican view of alcohol regulation. There is no Democratic view of alcohol regulations. I was reminded of this upon reading, “Free America’s Beverage Markets” by Kevin Kosar, a Senior Fellow at the Right leaning R Street Institute. In this piece, Kosar takes to task the states’ various absurd, archaic and mostly anti-consumer…
Meanwhile, in the land of the rational and inevitable: 1. New York State Liquor Authority attempts to destroy NY retailer for shipping wine to consumers in states where it is allegedly against the law to ship, despite there being no NY law that prohibits these shipments. 2. NY Retailer at disciplinary hearing wants to question State Liquor Authority personnel as part of their defense. 3. State Liquor Authority says “no”, you can’t call such witnesses. 4. NY retailers says, “Oh,…
