AUTHOR: Dave McIntyre TITLE: I Love NY! DATE: 6/27/2005 09:19:00 PM ----- BODY:

The New York legislature has seen the light! After 15 years of effort by the state’s wine industry, and just a little prodding by the US Supreme Court, the Empire State has enacted a law to allow interstate direct shipping of wine to consumers. Informed by the Supremes that its law allowing New York wineries to ship to consumers in state while banning shipments from California or elsewhere was unconstitutional, New York’s lawmakers did the honorable thing and opted for free trade. Regulated free trade, mind you, but free trade. New York, you will recall, was one of two states directly affected by the Supreme Court ruling. The other state, Michigan (State motto: “We’re not the end of the world, but you can see it from here.”) appears to be moving the other way, with state liquor authorities seeking legislation to ban all shipment. Such a move could gravely injure Michigan’s own wine industry just as it is beginning to gain national attention. New York’s law would allow wineries to ship up to 36 cases a year to a customer across state lines and allows shipments into New York from wineries in states that allow reciprocal shipment. Out-of-state wineries will require New York licenses, so there will be some deviltry in the details of regulation. But for now, New York's winemakers are ecstatic, and I have another reason to consider moving to a reciprocal state. (Get the point, Maryland?)

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