Mail Order to Michigan

[Alex]

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals just issued a ruling that said the State of Michigan cannot prevent consumers from ordering wine directly (e.g., over the Internet) from out-of-state wineries. Current law requires wine shipments to go through licensed wholesalers. The Court said that this is an unconstitutional restraint of trade. But don't get too excited yet, because...

...of course, the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association is considering further legal action. (Quote from their president: "The court has to step back and say, 'We can't open up the floodgates.' ") It also appears that the state Attorney General's office will be working with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission on another legal step.

This issue probably will wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a September 3 article in The Grand Rapids Press.

When in doubt, follow the money......

[beegew]

Here's to those brave justices in MI.! We suffer from the same fascist mentality here. If someone (or myself) orders the fruit of the vine, it's only 'cause I live about 6 miles from the AL border...'nuff said. My DH says it's a major bone of contention among Republican legal muckey mucks-split along supporters of wholesalers versus oenophiles. I haven't seen anything in our local rag concerning a challenge here. Maybe those of us in restrictive states need to light candles and sing Kumbayah for the MI efforts...

[Alex]

Here's to those brave justices in MI.!  We suffer from the same fascist mentality here. If someone (or myself) orders the fruit of the vine, it's only 'cause I live about 6 miles from the AL border...'nuff said.  My DH says it's a major bone of contention among Republican legal muckey mucks-split along supporters of wholesalers versus  oenophiles.  I haven't seen anything in our local rag concerning a challenge here.  Maybe those of us in restrictive states need to light candles and sing Kumbayah for the MI efforts...

Thanks for the support. The Michigan suit was brought by a coalition of consumers and a small California winery (not specified in the article). Financial support came from a Napa group, the Coalition for Free Trade, a non-profit foundation of wine industry representatives and legal experts. There's very detailed information on the site about the current status of legal action in Michigan and seven other states (FL, IN, NY, NC, TX, VA, WA).

Candles and Kumbayah would be appreciated Letters, phone calls, and e-mails to legislators would be even more appreciated. (Maybe even a contribution to the Coalition for Free Trade.) It's way past time we updated our 70-year-old post-prohibition laws and restored some common sense.

BTW, another delightful Michigan law stipulates that you cannot bring any alcohol into an establishment, meaning no BYOB/corkage fee, anywhere. Licensed establishments must buy all their alcohol from wholesalers. Plus, for liquor (i.e., not beer or wine), the wholesalers are merely conduits for the state.

[Alex]

More info on this topic from The Grand Rapids Press. (The winery's name is Domaine Alfred, near San Luis Obispo.)

Edited September 8, 2003 by Alex (log)

[NeroW]

I *hate* that no restaurant in Michigan is BYO.

Down with The Man!

[beegew]

Lucky us. We moved from N.C. to FL. Still, there's lots of hope on the Coalition's website. They apparently got a quasi-favorable ruling here in 2002, but the wheels of justice sure turn slow when you're thirsty...

[beans]

This is a worthy cause and discussion. (Hasn't it been had before?)

State of oHIo is quite conservative; that and/or greedy. No BYOB because they want every little tax penny they can garner. If you buy wine for home consumption purposes, then surely you'll go out and purchase more wine when you go out to eat.

Cha-Ching! $$$$

Surely something they will not relinquish any time soon.

Yes, out with the old. In with the new.