Proposal to License Fulfillment Houses Threatens Direct Shipping
The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a nonprofit organization that recommends model legislation for states, is pursuing harmful policies that threaten the Direct to Consumer (DTC) wine shipping industry, particularly with its recommendations that fulfillment houses be licensed and comply with complex administrative requirements.
Irish Liquor Lawyer: WSWA’s solution that just doesn’t square
"We all agree that keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors is a responsible thing to do. But my question is if WSWA is crusading against DTC shipping as a responsible way to combat minor access to alcohol, why is it proposing an alternative that is less safe, then the activity you choose to ban?" Read the article by Irish Liquor Lawyer here.
NorthBay Biz: Wine Country and the Silicon Valley Bank Hangover
It wasn’t until late Sunday, March 26 that First Citizens Bancorp (FCNCA) agreed to purchase most of SVB, including its wine division at a discount price. The wine platform has been the dominant lender in Napa and Sonoma for three decades, so the bank shutdown caused consternation in the wine country.
CWA to Consider Direct to Consumer Bill of Rights
For consideration at its upcoming Advocacy Group meeting on May 17, the Craft Wine Association (CWA) has released a draft of the National Direct Shipping Bill of Rights for wine industry consideration.
Fermentation: California Wineries Should Work To End The State’s Discriminatory Wine Law
When the Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that a state may not allow its own wineries to ship wine to residents in the state, but ban out-of-state wineries from doing the same thing it brought about a sea change in how wine was distributed in the U.S., particularly by small wineries. It was the result of a good strategy that was paid for primarily by California wineries. It’s for this reason, among others, that California should change its own discriminatory laws where wine distribution is concerned.
California to Expand Definition of ‘Beverage’ to Include Wine and Distilled Spirits: Impact on Industry and New Regulations
The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has announced a webinar on May 10, 2023, to discuss the expansion of California's Beverage Container Recycling Program to include wine and distilled spirits. This comes after Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1013 (SB1013, Atkins, Chapter 610, Statutes of 2022) into law on September 27, 2022, effective January 1, 2023.
Wine Searcher: Wine Promotion Rules a Minefield
A recent legal case provides some interesting insight into how governmental regulatory agencies, including the national regulatory agency the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the myriad state alcohol beverage control boards (ABCs), enforce marketing and social media promotions executed by wineries and their wholesalers and importers.
Steven Harrison to Chair Craft Wine Association Advocacy Group
Steven Harrison, CEO of Vinoshipper and Complete DTC, has been appointed to serve as chair of the Craft Wine Association’s Advocacy Group which formed in 2022 after a yearlong series of meetings with the wine industry.