Wine Shipping Bans Overturned

The Ventura County Star has the story of the recent U.S. Supreme Curt ruling that has struck down laws that banned the shipping of wines interstate. Twenty-four states barred their residents from having wine sent from out-of-state wineries. Read the story here:

Co-owner Chuck Brigham was unable to join the party, but workers were celebrating at the Leeward Winery in Ventura on Monday after the Supreme Court struck down bans on direct shipments to out-of-state customers.

The ruling, long sought by the nation’s vintners, is expected to boost sales at smaller wineries such as Leeward that cannot get large distributors to market their wines to supermarkets and other retailers.

It will allow customers who enjoyed what they sampled in tasting rooms to buy from home through wine clubs or over the Internet. Until Monday’s ruling, 24 states barred their residents from having wine sent from out-of-state wineries.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court struck down shipping bans in Michigan and New York, saying it’s unconstitutional for a state to allow in-state wineries to ship directly to consumers while stopping other wineries from doing the same thing…

California wines account for 90 percent of the country’s $21.6 billion in wine sales, but the state’s vintners are under increased competition from wineries in New Zealand, Australia, Latin America and Europe, said Jack Kyser, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.’s chief economist.

He expects small wineries statewide to benefit, but said the ruling could prove an especially big boon to those in Santa Barbara County, where sales are already up in the wake of the hit film “Sideways,” about two buddies on a wine-tasting trip in the Santa Ynez Valley.

California wines account for 90 percent of the country’s $21.6 billion in wine sales, but the state’s vintners are under increased competition from wineries in New Zealand, Australia, Latin America and Europe, said Jack Kyser, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.’s chief economist.

He expects small wineries statewide to benefit, but said the ruling could prove an especially big boon to those in Santa Barbara County, where sales are already up in the wake of the hit film “Sideways,” about two buddies on a wine-tasting trip in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Finally, free market captitalism meets the wineries.

This will be a terrific boon to the California Wine Industry – about time!