
In 2010, HR 5034 was introduced into the US House of Representatives [read the Wine Spectator story]. It would have rolled back interstate shipping laws to pre-2005 levels had it passed. It did not, but has been resurrected in the 2011 Congress at HR 1161. Like most anti-shipping bills, is really concerned with guaranteeing liquor distributors’ share of wine and spirits revenue.
If HR 1161 becomes law, it would restrict consumer access to thousands of wineries, nearly all of them small, and tens of thousands of wines with productions too small to make it into distribution. Read a blog post about this bill, than please make your voices heard to your US representatives. For more information about the issue, or how to get involved in this and other direct shipping debates, visit www.freethegrapes.org.
The states of Hawaii, Maine, Kansas and Tennessee recently passed wine shipping laws that allow us to ship directly to consumers. Residents of all four states are now eligible to order wine or sign up for VINsider Wine Club membership.
New Jersey, whose legislature and governor passed a direct shipping bill in January, has told us that the required licenses will be in place by early summer 2012. If you would like a note when we are able to ship to New Jersey, please join our mailing list.
We are working actively to increase the number of states we can ship wine to (and, by the same token open for our wine club). However, we are also committed to protecting our consumers from questionable or unscrupulous shipping practices. We only ship to states to which we are allowed by state law, and we mark our shipments clearly as wine. We use UPS and FedEx to ship our wine, and all shipments require an adult signature. If you live in a non-shipping state, we’re happy to help you find local retailers or wholesalers who carry our wine. Want help finding our wines? View our list of distributors, or contact us!
There are several states currently debating direct shipping, including Indiana, Florida and Pennsylvania. Interested in making a difference at the state level? Support Free the Grapes.
The current list of states to which we can ship wine is AK, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY. Interested in knowing as soon as we can ship to you? Sign up for our mailing list!
We are honored to be participating in two local dinners this summer, on June 7th at Rinconada Dairy with Outstanding in the Field and on July 13th at Hearst Castle with Festival Mozaic. Join us at these unforgettable (though wholly different) venues. Details & More Events »
Each month, we choose a wine to feature based on the season and the wine's own evolution. For May, we've chosen the expressive, mineral-laced 2010 Grenache Blanc. During the feature, this wine (normally $27) is available at $24.60, and just $18.90 for VINsiders. Details »
May 16, 2012
I've delayed writing this post so as not to jinx us, but in mid-May I think that I can do so safely. So, here goes. We seem to have made it through spring without any damage from frost. What does this mean? Nothing but good »