Feds looking to deal wine lovers a huge blow

A while back, I wrote on my blog about how nothing good comes of government intervention in wine.

At that time, I was merely speaking of how Alabama’s banning of Cycles Gladiator’s awful wines because of the nude lady painted on the label led to a huge spike in their sales.

Now, it looks as if wine is under assault by the federal goverment. This issue centers around direct shipping.

The bill (HR 5034) is designed to end direct shipping of wine from wineries to the consumer. This is an obvious attempt to strengthen the monopoly that is currently in place in this country.

The three-tier system’s basic premise is that the producer must sell to the distributor, which must then sell to the retailer. The retailer is the only party allowed to sell to the consumer.

“The Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act of 2010, or the ‘CARE Act,’ the proposed bill would effectively allow the 21st Amendment to trump the Commerce Clause, granting states immunity to litigation based on discriminatory alcohol distribution laws,” according to Wine Spectator.

The bill goes on to say, “Notwithstanding that the state law may burden interstate commerce or may be inconsistent with an act of the Congress, the state law shall be upheld unless the party challenging the state law establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the state law has no effect on the promotion of temperance, the establishment or maintenance of orderly alcoholic beverage taxes, the structure of the state alcoholic beverage distribution system, or the restriction of access to alcoholic beverages by those under the legal drinking age.”

Basically, this bill lumps wine in with every other alcoholic beverage under the auspices of trying to protect our youth. I understand that not everyone views wine as we do; however, wine isn’t a product that people pound to get wasted.

When is the last time you heard of an 18-year-old ordering a case of Shaffer, Caymus or Mondavi Reserve to get wasted? Underage drinkers don’t turn to wineries to buy their booze; they turn to their older siblings.

I recall my days at a certain local college. I remember my first wine experience with disdain. It was gross, too bold and laborious to drink for my palate at that time. That’s why I, like every other college-age kid I knew, turned to Boone’s Farm or cheap beer. It wasn’t until my taste buds developed that I got into wine.

My point in that rant is to highlight how government is trying to ruin something that’s truly an artisanal and appreciative beverage by lumping it together with all the other plonk out there – all in the name of protecting children!

Unfortunately, this is another truly frustrating example of big government trying to fix something that isn’t broken, or government misleading us as to its intentions. After all, wine and liquor wholesalers are said to have spent roughly $500,000 in the first quarter on lobbying the government.

If this bill passes, we could be looking at a huge lack of choice in regard to the wines we love. This will not only hurt our freedom of choice, but just imagine what it will do to some of our favorite small wineries that are mailing-list-only.

Be sure to write your congressional representative to voice your disapproval!

Erol Senel is a restaurant industry sommolier who writes for his personal blog www.senelwine.com. He can be reached at erol.senel@gmail.com.

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