Winos Rejoice Over Supreme Court Ruling
Okay, guess that should read "Wine Connoisseurs," or "Oenophiles" as the Supremes did not rule that food stamps could now be used to purchase Thunderbird, Cisco or Night Train. Instead, they ruled that states like New York, Massachusetts and Michigan could not prohibit direct sales of wines from other states if they allowed such sales for local wineries. You can read coverage in the Chron, the Times, the Globe or the Freep.
Before the ruling, if Gothamist wanted to purchase a bottle of delicious 1999 Carneros Estate Reserve Pinot Noir from Roche Winery (like we had on a recent weekend getaway), they would have to do it from a retail store that received shipments from a wholesale distributor. Now they can order wines directly from the producer, which should be a boon to boutique wineries who couldn't produce vintages in the volume that a national wholesaler might demand. It will also be sweet music to the ears of San Francisco's Wine.com, as they now have more than double the number of potential customers nationwide who can legally receive direct shipments.
Of course, prepare yourselves for a new round of media hype about minors using the web and mail order to get drunk, though SFist would like to point out that when we were 18, we sure as hell weren't debating whether or not our box of chardonnay was over-oaked. After the jump, we asked SFist Derrick what he thought about the ruling and what changes it might create in the wine market.
Uncredited AP photo via the Boston Globe.
"The judgement definitely helps producers (of all sizes) reach a broader audience. I might argue that this is a double-edged sword, however. New York consumers who want to belong to a winery's wine club could only choose from their local producers. Now they can choose from wineries throughout the country. Will they stick with their local wineries? Maybe, maybe not. But I imagine this kind of market is not a big factor overall.
"The much larger part of the market, however, buys based on what wine publications say, and now when Wine Spectator reviews Saxum's Bone Rock Syrah (a small production Syrah from Paso Robles), someone in New York can call the winery and order some rather than try to track down the one store in the state that might carry it.
"This of course is a double-edged sword for consumers as well. There are more people now vying for boutique wines, but there are more boutique wines to choose from.
"Overall I consider this a big win. There are downsides, but nothing is black and white, and I'd argue the ups far outpace the downs.
"I suppose you could even argue that now that the producers are swimming in a bigger sea, it will not only help small producers but force them to change a bit to survive. Getting your brand noticed will be harder work, whether that means making a better product or improving your marketing."
Special thanks to SFist Derrick for challenging some of our assumptions and schooling us with his awesome wine knowledge.