This weekend I had the pleasure of speaking with Richard Keenan of Keenan Mediation Services, mediation for the wine industry. Mr. Keenan worked as a trial attorney for thirty years involving complex commercial business disputes at the San Francisco law firm Folger Levin & Kahn. Currently, Mr. Keenan is a trained…
Month: February 2011
The Four Legal Categories of Wine in America
I receive a lot of questions regarding the legal protection of different types of wine in America on a somewhat daily basis. This entry serves as an overview of the American legal protection of different classifications of wines. Background The history of the U.S.’s protection of intellectual property is one…
A Closer Look at the New Wine Trade Agreement Between Australia and the ECs
On September 1, 2010, the 2008 Wine Trade Agreement Australia and the European Communities (“ECs”), which requires Australia to comply with the European GI system with respect to wine products, went into effect. (See Agreement Between the European Community and Australia on Trade in Wine, 2009 J.O. (L 28) 3.) The…
Wine Law Seminar in British Columbia
The Law Seminars International is hosting the second annual seminar on Wine Law in British Columbia on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 in conjunction with the Vancouver Wine Festival. The seminar will address legal, regulatory, and business developments and features a strong selection of speakers from British Columbia. For more information,…
More Liberalized Wine Regulation in Oklahoma?
Current reforms proposed by legislators in Oklahoma call for a more liberalized regulation of liquor and wine sales in Oklahoma. The state, the last state to legalize liquor drinking and previously one of the most conservative in terms of alcohol regulation, shows several attempts to modernize its laws. Senator Clark…
Maryland Border States Create Indirect Smuggling Routes for Direct Shipment of Wine
Today, The Washington Post published an interesting article regarding the state of Maryland, its surrounding constituents, and direct shipment laws. Maryland is presently a state that does not allow direct shipment of wine to consumers; therefore, to obtain wine, a customer must purchase it from a store or other retail…
Are More States Encouraging Direct Shipment of Wine?
Contemporary publications indicate that much legal initiative with respect to direct shipment of wine and other alcoholic beverages appear within the legislative bodies of several states. These regulations show a favorable pattern for wine producers: the encouragement of direct shipment of wine products to consumers and stores. The states of…