It appears that Indiana’s wine wholesalers, in cahoots with the legislature, have successfully gobbled up more of the state’s wine market, while making it more difficult for Indiana consumers to purchase wines and Indiana wineries to do business. And if you want to know just how successful the wine wholesalers were at putting the screws to the notion of competition, all you have to know is that the Indiana wholesalers are pretty happy with the outcome. The new law, which…
Sometimes you have to wonder how wine wholesalers can even walk straight given the enormous size of their balls. This from a press release issued yesterday by the Indiana Wine & Spirit Wholesalers: "Under their special niche within the regulatory structure of Indiana’s three-tier system, farm wineries in Indiana had enjoyed a special status (being allowed to sell direct to consumers and retailers)." "Special Niche"? "Special Status"? This from the wine wholesalers who have the most special of niches and…
There must be a number of managing editors at Indiana newspapers that are somewhat pissed off. By no fault of their own they are having to update the direct shipping story in their state in such a way that makes them look like they got it wrong. One day after a closely-watched and heavily attended committee meeting took place in the Indiana Legislature and a compromise on the direct shipping issue between Indiana wineries and the wine wholesalers was accomplished,…