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ooh_child
New Member
USA
30 Posts |
 Posted - 05/16/2005 : 10:33:46
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"A ruling issued today by the U-S Supreme Court is expected to be cheered in California's wine country.
The court this morning struck down laws in New York and Michigan that banned shipments of wine from other states. In all, 24 states have laws barring interstate shipments of wine."
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=3349679
I just wanted to let folks in the US know that they can now purchase their favorite "boutique" wines directly from the winery, no matter where they live.
I worked for a small California winery some years ago & worked very hard to get this issue before the courts. Glad to see it finally made it through!
MHB
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 12:21:34 [Permalink]
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| I am very happy. I live in the Great State of Alabama, home of the 5 Ton Decalogue. I could not get any wine from outside the state *legally*. Now maybe I will be able to! Hoozah! |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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| Edited by - pleco on 05/16/2005 12:22:07 |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 12:36:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
I am very happy. I live in the Great State of Alabama, home of the 5 Ton Decalogue. I could not get any wine from outside the state *legally*. Now maybe I will be able to! Hoozah!
You mean, pleco that in Alabama, you could only have Alabaman wines?!? Nothing from CA or (Yahweh forbid) France? Please tell me that this isn't the case... |
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 14:24:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
Nothing from CA or (Yahweh forbid) France?
French wines are overpriced and overrated anyway. Try a New Zealand one instead.
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METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 14:35:51 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
You mean, pleco that in Alabama, you could only have Alabaman wines?!? Nothing from CA or (Yahweh forbid) France? Please tell me that this isn't the case...
LOL sorry about that. No, I mean that I as a free citizen cannot, for example, join a wine club in California and have wine shipped to me. My only recourse is to buy in the grocery/package store (and pay the "sin" tax  ). And of course it is hard to find really good wine in the local Piggly Wiggly.
So, every time I get a chance to visit my friend in San Francisco (I try to once a year), I usually stock up as much as I can get on the plane.
FWIW, Alabama does have wine producers. However, they do use grapes called the muscadine. It is a bit too sweet for my tastes. 
In case anyone is interested:
http://www.chiff.com/wine/n-america/alabama.htm |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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| Edited by - pleco on 05/16/2005 14:40:12 |
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ooh_child
New Member
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 14:39:59 [Permalink]
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Hi Cuneiformist!
Pleco could get CA wine, but only from a licensed distributor, who has limited ordering capability. There are thousands of small wineries all over the US who cannot provide product to all 50 states through distributors. But, until now, many states restricted their citizens from ordering wine directly from wineries.
Many CA wineries ignored these restrictions and shipped wine to these consumers anyway. Then the government performed "sting" operations on these wineries, having shipments sent to unauthorized states, and then fining the heck out of these wineries for violating the law. Hence the beginnings of this decision.
MHB |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 17:37:05 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Hawks
quote:
Nothing from CA or (Yahweh forbid) France?
French wines are overpriced and overrated anyway. Try a New Zealand one instead.
Well, from any region you can find overpriced or overrated wines. Personally, I find California Merlots to be a bit too pricey for what you get. The problem with Europe (at least for us Yanks) is that the dollar is weak and the Euro is strong.
But you're right-- New Zealand has some good stuff. At present, I'm a big fan of the Matua Sav Blanc-- good stuff, indeed! |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 17:39:36 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by ooh_child
Hi Cuneiformist!
Pleco could get CA wine, but only from a licensed distributor, who has limited ordering capability. There are thousands of small wineries all over the US who cannot provide product to all 50 states through distributors. But, until now, many states restricted their citizens from ordering wine directly from wineries.
Many CA wineries ignored these restrictions and shipped wine to these consumers anyway. Then the government performed "sting" operations on these wineries, having shipments sent to unauthorized states, and then fining the heck out of these wineries for violating the law. Hence the beginnings of this decision.
Right. I got that part (I work part time in the beer/wine/liquor industry, so I try to stay informed about such things). It's just that the way it was phrased, it sounded like Pleco couldn't have any non-Alabama wines, which is a) odd, and b) inhumane! |
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 18:35:40 [Permalink]
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quote:
But you're right-- New Zealand has some good stuff. At present, I'm a big fan of the Matua Sav Blanc-- good stuff, indeed!
I'm more of a red wine fan myself, and Matua makes some good ones there as well... |
METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 20:11:15 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
Right. I got that part (I work part time in the beer/wine/liquor industry, so I try to stay informed about such things). It's just that the way it was phrased, it sounded like Pleco couldn't have any non-Alabama wines, which is a) odd, and b) inhumane!
It wasn't too long ago that I couldn't buy any alchohol on Sunday - the so called "blue law". Now, I just have to wait until 12:00 noon on Sunday to get my drink on! Now that's Progress! |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2005 : 06:11:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
quote:
Originally posted by pleco
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cuneiformist
Right. I got that part (I work part time in the beer/wine/liquor industry, so I try to stay informed about such things). It's just that the way it was phrased, it sounded like Pleco couldn't have any non-Alabama wines, which is a) odd, and b) inhumane!
It wasn't too long ago that I couldn't buy any alchohol on Sunday - the so called "blue law". Now, I just have to wait until 12:00 noon on Sunday to get my drink on! Now that's Progress!
In Oklahoma, you can only get the weak stuff-- 3.2% beer-- on Sundays. I guess I'm keeping the Sabbath holy by not getting blitzed on Fin du monde or Chimay (to say nothing about wine or liquor!). |
| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 05/17/2005 06:11:55 |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2005 : 07:49:59 [Permalink]
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In Sweden, alcohol sale is monopolised. There's a government controlled chain of liquor stores know as "Systembolaget" that sell everything above 3,5%. Some people think that's bad, but it was made that way in order to get control over alcohol consumption for public health reasons.
In a way, these stores actually performs a public service: you can walk into a store in any fairly sized town and have close to (if not more than) thousand different wines at your disposal. They may not have all labels in stock, but you can always order from their central stockpile, and you'll have your favourite label within a week.
And the people working in the stores are very knowledgeable about their products.
Their web-site is big and have not only their stockpile, but reviews of all their products including what kind of food-stuff they recommend to go with it, including drink recipies.
About Systembolaget (in English)
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 05/17/2005 07:54:54 |
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ktesibios
SFN Regular
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 12:31:24 [Permalink]
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In Pennsylvania, where I lived for over twenty years, alcohol sales are also a government monopoly, but the Keystone State handles this in the American way, that is, in a manner beyond all logical explanation.
If you want wine or liquor, you have to go to a State Store. Selection, prices and hours are guaranteed not to be as good as a private booze shop across the state line. State Stores don't sell beer, so if you want that, you can get a six-pack or three at a tavern or restaurant that sells "package goods", as they're called. If you want a case or a keg, you have to go to a third kind of business- a beer distributor.
This system has been so good at promoting business for liquor stores in adjoining states that the PA LCB stakes out liquor stores in NJ, Delaware and Maryland to catch Pennsylvanians who are illicitly stocking up out-of-state.
In New Jersey, where I grew up, we had a patchwork of local dry laws. I grew up in a wet town, Haddon Township, which was surrounded by dry towns. The result was that you could always tell just where the boundary lay on any main road- by the liquor store one foot on the Haddon Twp. side of the line.
Then there's Tavistock NJ, pop. 24 . The only reason this borough exists as a politically independent entity is that it was part of Haddonfield, Haddonfield is dry and they wanted to serve liquor at the Tavistock Country Club- so they seceded.
Here in California we can buy whiskey at the supermarket and civliization doesn't seem to have fallen yet... 
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"The Republican agenda is to turn the United States into a third-world shithole." -P.Z.Myers |
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bloody_peasant
Skeptic Friend
USA
139 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 12:36:34 [Permalink]
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| NC is the same way with hard liquor, being state controlled, with ABC "package" stores. Wine, beer, and other malt beverages can be bought just about anywhere though. Not sure about kegs however. |
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