Vintage Story

Epistemological epiphany:
Life must be lived forwards,
but can only be understood backwards
Mercifully, life may be enjoyed sideways!

Full Moon: January, 2006. Allen Dale Olson a/k/a the Pontiff of Palate, Story Inn’s Wine Connoisseur. Copyright 2006 Story Bed & Breakfast, LLP, d/b/a Story Inn, all rights reserved.

HOPE FOR DIRECT WINE SHIPPING

                        Children protected…

                        Taxes Collected.                    

           That’s the new mantra for supporters of Indiana House Bill 1036 introduced on January 12 by Representatives Eric Koch and Peggy Welch before the House Public Policy Committee. Among a number of provisions, the bill would allow Indiana wineries to ship orders directly to consumers as well as provide out-of-state wineries the same opportunities.

            But the bill is much more comprehensive in that it also contains provisions to protect children from receiving wine shipments, to assure collection of all license and tax levies related to the sale and purchase of alcohol, and to  enforce laws and prosecute violations.

            While winery owners are very pleased with the above provisions, they are especially pleased with the provisions expanding marketing opportunities. Besides the direct shipping issue, the bill allows a winery to sell its wine by the bottle at local not-for-profit farmers’ markets, to offer tastings and sales at three locations apart from the winery (as opposed to only one location under current law), and to participate up to 30 days (from the current nine days) in a calendar year in a trade show, festival, or exposition.

            Sponsors of the bill pointed out they are trying to restore the legal rights of farm wineries and that most of the 32 wine producers have put all their net worth into their enterprises and that many of them would lose everything if current prohibitions remain law. Some twenty producers testifying before the committee told the percentage of their business done by direct shipping, the amount of related employment their wineries create, and the contributions to agro-tourism – exceeding $35 million annually – resulting from their work.. Most of them urged the committee to expand opportunities to sell directly to retail stores and restaurants. Powerful support came from endorsement of the bill by the Indiana Farm Bureau.

            Witnesses were not unanimously supportive. Representatives of youth groups and Mothers Against Drunk Driving gave emotional arguments against opening the door to easier access to alcohol. While they admitted that data on underage consumption of alcohol are almost non existent, they reminded that even cheap brands of wine are within the price range of such consumers.

            As expected, representatives of the wholesalers and distributors opposed HR 1036 and had offered compromises in HR 1190. All of them praised Indiana wineries and pledged to work with them through the existing three-tier system, which they claimed had worked well for 69 years. Their most significant offer came to offer direct shipping via a local retail or package store. That would allow a consumer to place an order on-line or by phone for delivery to the nearest liquor store, where he or she could pick it up in a face-to-face transaction, thus assuring legal age purchasing and tax collection. They argued that cutting out the retailer would guarantee abuse and even cost jobs at the distributors and local stores.

            The hearing room was packed, and State Senator Brent Steele (who presented an identical bill to the Senate) told me privately that a survey in his district indicated 84% support for direct shipping, the highest pro-percentage he had ever experienced on an issue.

            Committee comments and questions indicated no resistance to the idea of growth for agro-tourism, expanded economic growth, the regulatory provisions, and the added-value benefits of wine production in Indiana. Even so, opponents to HR 1036 had equal time, and the two bills have been referred to a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Representative Koch.

            The Pontiff urges Hoosiers to encourage their Representatives to support HR 1036, and to do so soon, as this is a short session of the General Assembly.

Vintage Story is an e-newsletter authored by Ole Olson and published by the Story Inn, and is available free of charge to all who appreciate good wine. Vintage Story is published at each full moon. The author and the Story Inn specifically authorize the republication, reprinting and circulation of any issue Vintage Story so long as due credit is given to the author and to the Story Inn (which holds the copyright).

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