Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/450857
16 Wines&Vines February 2015 wine industry news S an Francisco, Calif.—With Massachusetts, the nation's seventh largest market for wine, open for direct shipping, 90% of the American population located in 42 states can, with some limitations, receive direct shipments of wine from bonded wineries. ShipCompliant estimates that outside wineries will ship $73 mil- lion in wine to The Bay State by 2018, rising to nearly $105 mil- lion by 2023. The only large market remain- ing is Pennsylvania, home to 4.5% of the U.S. population. Steve J. Gross, vice president-state relations for the Wine Institute, spoke Jan. 15 at the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium in Concord, Calif., and is optimistic about moving bills to open Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Delaware this spring. The Wine Institute, Free the Grapes! and other organizations affected also are working on bills to correct problems with laws in Indiana and other states. Gross' other priorities this year are to: • Continue to try and open new states and protect existing states. • Continue to "improve" existing shipping laws. • Remove on-site and capacity caps. • Remove onerous paperwork requirements. • Simplify reporting and fre- quency of reports. • Streamline permitting and reg- istration procedures. • Work with carriers and states to ensure reporting procedures work. At present, all direct shipments of wine are prohibited to Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylva- nia and Utah, while shipments are only allowed for orders placed in person at wineries to Arkansas, Delaware, Oklahoma, Rhode Is- land and South Dakota. Most states still prohibit ship- ments from retailers and others that don't have winery licenses, including so-called "virtual" winer- ies in California that actually have wholesaler's licenses and buy from bonded wineries. Twenty of the 42 states that allow direct shipping now require licenses for carriers. Gross admits that DtC laws in some states such as Utah will probably be impossible to change. He warned, however, that states are paying closer attention to carrier reporting requirements and requiring common carriers to file reports. "More emphasis is being put on reviewing these re- ports," he said. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick signed the state's budget conference report that includes direct-to-consumer wine shipping language July 11, and the law took effect Jan. 1. The move brings to a close years of effort by Wine Institute and Free tOP stORY With Massachusetts Now Open, 90% of U.S. Consumers Can Buy Wine Direct The Global Standard for Quality - US standard 1/2 bbl, 1/6 bbl, and tall 1/4 bbl - Innovative design and manufacturing processes - The only keg manufacturer with US keg service, repair, and rebranding facilities Kwik Kegs - US standard keg sizes ready to ship directly from stock - Order any keg size and quantity - Embossing and silk screening available for all sizes and quantities Mark Carpenter, Franke Beverage Systems, Inc., 166 Jefferson Pike, LaVergne, TN, 37086 Phone: 615.462.4334, Fax: 615.462.4734, Email: mark.carpenter@franke.com The world's leading provider of stainless steel beverage containers " More emphasis is being put on reviewing carrier reporting requirements." —Steve J. Gross, vice president-state relations, Wine Institute