Small Arizona wineries will suffer if they lose the right to ship directly to consumers and businesses, according to Ariz. wine focus of political fight in The Arizona Republic. Currently, a law is close to approval which would require all wine to be sold through wholesalers. Small wineries have historically shipped directly to stores and restaurants, and would like to be able to sell small quantites over the Internet directly to consumers. Various compromises have been proposed, but how the dispute will turn out is still unclear.
At Box Wines, we’re in favor of anything that lets consumers purchase the wines they want as easily as possible. Historically, many state legislatures have given into the wishes of campaign-contributing distributors who want their franchise protected. Restrictive wine purchasing eventually means that some wines will simply be difficult or impossible for the consumer to acquire. The usual excuse raised is “protection of minors” – clearly a smokscreen. Can you imagine a 14-year old wannabe drinker showing up at a party with a nice 2003 Pinot Noir? Ludicrous…