Wine lovers' liberation

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Raise a glass to the legislature, which finally aligned Colorado's laws governing wine sales with the U.S. Constitution.

House Bill 1120, which becomes law July 1, will let Colorado consumers shop online or by telephone for wines made anywhere in the United States, so they can receive their favorite vintages at home.

The law will not put wholesalers on the streets. Wineries still cannot sell directly to Colorado retail stores or restaurants. Nor can consumers order wine and then resell it.

But the new law does satisfy last year's Supreme Court decision which barred state legislatures from treating alcoholic beverages that are made in other states differently from those produced inside state lines.

Colorado's situation is unusual because local wineries fare worse than their out-of-state competitors in serving local residents. A Coloradan can order a vintage directly from Sideways country, but only if she visits the Santa Ynez Valley and the vintner purchases a $50 permit from Colorado's liquor licensing authority.

Oddly enough, before HB 1120 takes effect, shipments to in-state customers are outlawed. A Denverite who drives to Palisade and hopes to ship a few cases back home is out of luck.

HB 1120 will end this bizarre discrimination. Both in-state and out-of-state wineries will owe the $50 fee before they can ship to Colorado residents. But consumers can place orders without visiting a tasting room - and local folks can buy from Western Slope wineries without gassing up the car or hoping they can find their favorite label at the local liquor store.

Trade groups admit that limits on direct shipments affect no more than 5 percent of retail wine sales. But only 500 of America's 3,500 wineries have nationwide retail distribution. For the other 3,000 wineries, access to faraway quaffers can spell the difference between profits and red ink. Cheers to the legislature for crushing state-based protectionism.