Vintage Story

VIP FELON

            On this first Lunacy of 2008, the Pontiff bestows on each registrant a free membership in VinSense, Inc., one of only two wine consumer advocacy groups in the United States. VinSense works to modernize Indiana law governing the purchase and distribution of wine in the Hoosier state and is dedicated to making possible the direct shipment of wine from producer to consumer. If you can, please come to our annual meeting at 6:30 pm on February 4 in the Farm Restaurant-Bloomington at 108 East Kirkwood in Bloomington. If you want to stay for some pizza and tapas afterward, please call the Farm at (812) 323-0004 or (877) 440-FARM.

  One of the pleasures of Sheer Lunacy is the opportunity to fantasize, usually a good thing. But every once in a while, a fantasy takes a dark turn. For example, not long ago I was reading once again about a wedding feast in Cana as described in Second John of the New Testament.

      In my fantasy, I transported the ancient city of Cana to Indiana and began to think about that wedding party. The innkeeper where the celebration was taking place ran out of wine. Apparently he had underestimated the thirst of his guests or how long the revelries would last.

      The situation was saved however, when one of the guests began turning water into wine. It was such good wine, according to St. John, that guests agreed that it was the best wine served during the evening.

      In contemporary Indiana, however, this sort of miracle would face complications. For starters, the Man was producing wine without a license. Furthermore, He was providing wine directly to a retailer in direct violation of state law.

      If Cana were really in Indiana, this Manufacturer of wine would have to offer His product to a wholesale distributor, most likely in Nazareth, the urban center of ancient Galilee, which I also transported to Indiana in my fantasy. The wholesaler in Nazareth would have to determine whether this wine could be produced in sufficient quantity to make it worth his while and whether he could sell enough of it to make it profitable.

      If he were satisfied on both counts, he would list it in his offerings to Galilean retailers in accordance with laws handed down by elders in Jerusalem (also fantasized into the Hoosier State). The innkeeper would then look over the list and decide which wines would please his customers and not sit in his store rooms overly long. He, of course, would have to pay cash to the Galilean wholesaler who may or may not pay the Producer before or unless he received cash from the innkeeper. The innkeeper – retailer--would then offer it to the wedding host at a profitable cost.

      By bypassing the wholesaler distributor, the Producer of the wine and the innkeeper committed crimes, breaking laws established by Indiana Legislators hell bent on making sure the Galileans retained their exclusive monopoly on wine sales in our great state. Somehow, the idea of the greatest Wine Producer of all doing jail time for helping people enjoy themselves became a disturbing fantasy.

      Truth be told, though, you don’t have to fantasize about wine producers or retailers or hosts committing felonies in Indiana if they dare try to open the market for wine purchases. They really will face prosecution. No fantasizing about it. Indiana wine law protects the last remaining monopoly in the 21st century market place. If you don’t believe it, just ask your state Senator or Representative. You just might ask what they would do about a situation like the one faced by the Cananite innkeeper of Biblical times.

      Footnote: Please do make contact with your Legislators. Ask them directly if they believe the prohibition of producers shipping wine directly to retailers or consumers violates the Commerce Clause governing Interstate Commerce. Don’t let them sidetrack you with claims that direct shipping will enable underage drinking or tax evasions. It won’t. Tell them 33 other states have dealt successfully with this issue. Remind them that wholesalers have no role in dealing with underage consumers or collecting taxes. Make your elected representatives tell you that current law is in compliance with Fair Trade practices. Then tell them they are wrong and ask them to do something about it.  Join VinSense, Inc. and pass the word: We like wine, and we vote!  www.vinsense.org.  

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Check the VinSense website at www.vinsense.org.

For further reading: http://www.specialtywineretailers.org/documents/WholesaleProtection-2008.pdf

 

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    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). If any newspaper or website desires to make use of any issue of Vintage Story, we do request that you notify us. Thanks, and here's to your health!

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