WHAT IS WINE INSTITUTE'S ROLE IN INTERSTATE WINE SHIPMENTS? Wine Institute is a public policy advocacy association representing the interests of our California winery members. We DO NOT encourage our members to violate state distribution laws, BUT we have a sincere interest in effecting change (by lawful means) that would permit the direct shipment to consumers from wineries of limited quantities of wine. Please click here to read Model Legislation for direct shipping. We've launched this web site for the purpose of educating our members. HOW COME I CAN'T RECEIVE WINE CLUB SHIPMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA , BUT MY FRIENDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE CAN? Since the repeal of Prohibition each state has created its own system of alcohol regulations. These various systems have been influenced by local business interests and regional political attitudes. As a result, the laws governing direct shipment vary widely- ranging from quite open and simple to states that consider wine shipments a felony. If you're interested in communicating with your state legislature on any of the issues raised here, we urge you to do so through the Free The Grapes ! Wine Institute does much more than provide legal information, but for this site, the usual cautions apply: laws and regulations are subject to broad interpretation . WHERE CAN I FIND LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LAW? This site does not contain and is not intended to deliver legal advice . If you need to contact an attorney who specializes in alcoholic beverage law, we have compiled a listing of our associate members who may be able to assist you . In any event, whether you use these attorneys or someone else, it's always a good idea to seek out professional legal advice. IS IT OKAY TO SEND SAMPLES OF MY WINE TO WINE WRITERS? There is no specific “wine writer” exception for direct wine shipments, but such shipments do raise commercial free speech issues. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 44 Liquor Mart v. Rhode Island , one could argue that a blind ban on shipments may unreasonably interfere with First Amendment rights. While some states informally permit shipments to wine writers, imagine what would result if enforcement agencies expressly granted authority to wine writers to receive wine (you'd have, virtually overnight, several million writers endeavoring to write about wine). Bottom line: if you're sending wine to a legitimate wine writer for review, you could argue that you're engaging in permitted commercial free speech. Making that argument is different from winning it, though, so be careful and seek legal counsel when necessary. While the law makes no distinction between consumers and wine writers, shipments to wholesalers are considered legitimate in many states. DID THE SUPREME COURT CASE GRANHOLM VS. HEALD MAKE IT LEGAL TO SHIP WINE? In an opinion written by Justice Kennedy, the Court ruled that restricting the ability of out-of-state wineries to ship directly to consumers violates the U.S. Constitution dormant Commerce Clause in light of Section 2 of the 21 st amendment. “States have a broad power to regulate liquor,” he wrote. “This power, however, does not allow States to ban, or severely limit, the direct shipment of out-of-state wine while simultaneously authorizing direct shipment by in-state producers. If a state chooses to allow direct shipment of wine, it must do so on evenhanded terms. Without demonstrating the need for discrimination, New York and Michigan have enacted regulations that disadvantage out-of-state wine producers. Under our Commerce Clause jurisprudence, these regulations cannot stand.” States must extend equal privileges to in-state and out-of-state wineries. WHAT DOES ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE MEAN? Please refer to our glossary for definitions of direct shipping terms. WHAT IS A SPECIAL SHIPPING LABEL? A special shipping label marks a package as Adult Signature Required. Labels can be obtained from your common carrier. IS IT OKAY FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL TO SHIP WINE? No, it is never legal for an individual to ship wine. The US Postal services will not carry alcohol under any circumstances. Both FedEx and UPS have company policies that strictly prohibit accepting alcohol shipments from individuals for delivery. These rules are based on their requirement that only entities who have signed a “wine shippers agreement”, which has special provisions regarding liability and packaging requirements as well as reporting components for deliveries into the other states. These agreements are only available to license alcohol retailers and wineries themselves. A primary reason for this is also the special handling and adult signature requirements that are required for alcohol deliveries. The goal is to avoid any possibility of a package being delivered into the hands of a minor. Packages shipped under the wine agreements have to meet rigorous labeling standards, and cannot be handled in the normal default manner of other packages (i.e. adult signature (over 21 years of age) is required for delivery, there can be no signature waiver, and packages cannot be left even with a consumer signature request – the delivery must be made in person so ID can be checked.) Most states do NOT allow shipments from individuals to enter their state – regardless of these rules though, the carriers do not make such shipments. WHAT IS RECIPROCITY? Reciprocity is a legislative concept whereby each state is approached to enter into an agreement of terms for shipping wine to consumers. Reciprocity requires the legislative cooperation of other states to recognize a two-way shipment privilege. Legislation can restrict the shipment privilege, making it available only to wineries in both states, to wineries and retailers in both states, etc. Further, legislation can attempt to restrict the privilege only to wine, table wine, table wine and sparkling wine, etc. In its simplest form, a reciprocal law says “a winery in your state can ship to a consumer in my state, only if a winery in my state can ship to a consumer in your state." The reciprocal state category is now shrinking as more states transition to limited direct / permit status. For now though, this means that only wineries in another reciprocal state can ship into the reciprocal states. A winery in a prohibited state wouldn't be able to ship into a reciprocal state. The Supreme Court last May ruled that this is a violation of interstate commerce law - this is why we are moving away from these and towards more permit states.
WHAT IS WINE INSTITUTE'S ROLE IN INTERSTATE WINE SHIPMENTS?
Wine Institute is a public policy advocacy association representing the interests of our California winery members. We DO NOT encourage our members to violate state distribution laws, BUT we have a sincere interest in effecting change (by lawful means) that would permit the direct shipment to consumers from wineries of limited quantities of wine. Please click here to read Model Legislation for direct shipping. We've launched this web site for the purpose of educating our members.
HOW COME I CAN'T RECEIVE WINE CLUB SHIPMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA , BUT MY FRIENDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE CAN?
Since the repeal of Prohibition each state has created its own system of alcohol regulations. These various systems have been influenced by local business interests and regional political attitudes. As a result, the laws governing direct shipment vary widely- ranging from quite open and simple to states that consider wine shipments a felony. If you're interested in communicating with your state legislature on any of the issues raised here, we urge you to do so through the Free The Grapes ! Wine Institute does much more than provide legal information, but for this site, the usual cautions apply: laws and regulations are subject to broad interpretation .
WHERE CAN I FIND LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LAW?
This site does not contain and is not intended to deliver legal advice . If you need to contact an attorney who specializes in alcoholic beverage law, we have compiled a listing of our associate members who may be able to assist you . In any event, whether you use these attorneys or someone else, it's always a good idea to seek out professional legal advice.
IS IT OKAY TO SEND SAMPLES OF MY WINE TO WINE WRITERS?
There is no specific “wine writer” exception for direct wine shipments, but such shipments do raise commercial free speech issues. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 44 Liquor Mart v. Rhode Island , one could argue that a blind ban on shipments may unreasonably interfere with First Amendment rights. While some states informally permit shipments to wine writers, imagine what would result if enforcement agencies expressly granted authority to wine writers to receive wine (you'd have, virtually overnight, several million writers endeavoring to write about wine). Bottom line: if you're sending wine to a legitimate wine writer for review, you could argue that you're engaging in permitted commercial free speech. Making that argument is different from winning it, though, so be careful and seek legal counsel when necessary. While the law makes no distinction between consumers and wine writers, shipments to wholesalers are considered legitimate in many states.
DID THE SUPREME COURT CASE GRANHOLM VS. HEALD MAKE IT LEGAL TO SHIP WINE?
In an opinion written by Justice Kennedy, the Court ruled that restricting the ability of out-of-state wineries to ship directly to consumers violates the U.S. Constitution dormant Commerce Clause in light of Section 2 of the 21 st amendment. “States have a broad power to regulate liquor,” he wrote. “This power, however, does not allow States to ban, or severely limit, the direct shipment of out-of-state wine while simultaneously authorizing direct shipment by in-state producers. If a state chooses to allow direct shipment of wine, it must do so on evenhanded terms. Without demonstrating the need for discrimination, New York and Michigan have enacted regulations that disadvantage out-of-state wine producers. Under our Commerce Clause jurisprudence, these regulations cannot stand.” States must extend equal privileges to in-state and out-of-state wineries.
WHAT DOES ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE MEAN?
Please refer to our glossary for definitions of direct shipping terms.
WHAT IS A SPECIAL SHIPPING LABEL?
A special shipping label marks a package as Adult Signature Required. Labels can be obtained from your common carrier.
IS IT OKAY FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL TO SHIP WINE?
No, it is never legal for an individual to ship wine. The US Postal services will not carry alcohol under any circumstances. Both FedEx and UPS have company policies that strictly prohibit accepting alcohol shipments from individuals for delivery. These rules are based on their requirement that only entities who have signed a “wine shippers agreement”, which has special provisions regarding liability and packaging requirements as well as reporting components for deliveries into the other states. These agreements are only available to license alcohol retailers and wineries themselves. A primary reason for this is also the special handling and adult signature requirements that are required for alcohol deliveries. The goal is to avoid any possibility of a package being delivered into the hands of a minor. Packages shipped under the wine agreements have to meet rigorous labeling standards, and cannot be handled in the normal default manner of other packages (i.e. adult signature (over 21 years of age) is required for delivery, there can be no signature waiver, and packages cannot be left even with a consumer signature request – the delivery must be made in person so ID can be checked.) Most states do NOT allow shipments from individuals to enter their state – regardless of these rules though, the carriers do not make such shipments.
WHAT IS RECIPROCITY?
Reciprocity is a legislative concept whereby each state is approached to enter into an agreement of terms for shipping wine to consumers. Reciprocity requires the legislative cooperation of other states to recognize a two-way shipment privilege. Legislation can restrict the shipment privilege, making it available only to wineries in both states, to wineries and retailers in both states, etc. Further, legislation can attempt to restrict the privilege only to wine, table wine, table wine and sparkling wine, etc. In its simplest form, a reciprocal law says “a winery in your state can ship to a consumer in my state, only if a winery in my state can ship to a consumer in your state." The reciprocal state category is now shrinking as more states transition to limited direct / permit status. For now though, this means that only wineries in another reciprocal state can ship into the reciprocal states. A winery in a prohibited state wouldn't be able to ship into a reciprocal state. The Supreme Court last May ruled that this is a violation of interstate commerce law - this is why we are moving away from these and towards more permit states.