Pinot Law

Well the Tennessee Volunteers Legislature, is coming to the rescue. Apparently, the Tennessee Legislature is looking to pass legislation that creates a wine direct shipper license to be issued through the alcoholic beverage commission that would allow an in-state or out-of-state entity to ship wine directly to consumers. The bills are Senate Bill 1977 and House Bill 1850.

Not surprisingly, the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Tennessee are extremely upset about the possibility of consumers buying their wine through this new-fangled invention called the “internet.”

Henry Hildebrand, a lobbyist for the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Tennessee, was quoted in a recent article as saying that his group opposes direct shipments of wine because it could put alcohol in the hands of minors. “We as a state should be seeking ways to bolster the safe, controlled method of distribution currently used in Tennessee, not loosen it,” he wrote in the statement.

He also made the remarkable statement that such legislation would cut state revenues. I don’t quite understand how passing legislation that taxes interstate and intrastate shipments of wine would cut state revenues. If you have any thoughts on that one, please let me know.

In the meantime, I just wanted to applaud the legislators of Tennessee, who are clearly acting in the best interests of: 1) consumers; 2) Tennessee wineries; 3) non-Tennessee wineries. And if you are a wine consumer, or a winery owner, be sure to let the legislators in Tennessee know how you feel — in the Senators Stanley and Jackson who sponsored the Senate bill and Representatives Fraley and Todd who sponsored it in the House!

Go Volunteers Legislators!

Tennessee State Capitol used under a Creative Commons License provided by Jimbowen0306.