This article gives rise by suggestion of Tom Wark of Fermentation. It explores the legal environment, post-Granholm, relative to the constitutionality of the several state liquor regulatory laws and the underlying effect of the Supreme Court’s holding in Granholm. These three cases include Siesta Village Market LLC v. Steen, 595…
Month: August 2010
Wine Legislation Brewing in California
Recently, California legislators approved a proposed wine label law for those wine products of Sonoma County that will subsequently require vintners to place “Sonoma County” on any wine label that names a local appellation. The bill, Assembly Bill 1798, passed in the state Senate 36-0 on Monday and in the…
In Vino Veritas: In Wine There is Truth
In recent years, China has become one of the greatest markets for American wine exports. In 2003, China imported over 1.2 millions liters of American wines, making it the 24th largest market for American wine exports. (See New Opportunities in China for American Wine Producers.) In May of this last…
Virginia Ban on Alcohol Advertisements in Student Publications May Reach SCOTUS
Stay tuned for what could be another exciting Supreme Court case relative to alcohol regulation. The American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) asked the Supreme Court to review The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board’s ban of ads in student publications that promote beer, wine, or mixed drinks (unless part of a…
New Zealand Alcohol Laws Have Correct Objective but Incorrect Means
The recent liquor law reforms of New Zealand’s government aim to restrict the amount of underage drinking and dispose of the country’s underage drinking culture. However, the changes to New Zealand’s laws reportedly punish the wrong individuals, forbidding dairy and convenience stores from obtaining the proper license to sell alcohol,…
South African Wine Reports May Be Premature
Last week, a proposal to “water down” South African wines was created by Wine Cellars South Africa. The proposal seeks to change South African wine legislation and legalize adding water to grape must in “controlled quantities before fermentation.” (See South African Wine Plan Breaches European Laws.) This proposal aims to reduce…
Old World v. New World: An International Legal Perspective on Geographical Indications
I read an article recently that summarized the personalities of Old World and New World wines in perfect prose: “New World winemaking has the romance of rugged individualism. With properties bankrolled by previous enterprises such as construction or tobacco, winery owners can break rules (even with scant rules to break),…
New Massachusetts Law Allows Wine Sales at Agricultural Events
A new Massachusetts law allows wineries and vineyards to sell their wine products at agricultural events throughout the state of Massachusetts. Under this law, a winery can obtain a temporary license from a local liquor authority to sell their wines by the bottle or allow tastings at agricultural events (i.e….
Owning & Operating an Urban Winery or Brewery
Rohan Shrikhande of The Wine Law Blog has been quite busy this summer helping to organize a seminar titled Owning and Operating an Urban Winery or Brewery. (Official website at The Seminar Group.) The seminar, which is to be held on November 10, 2010 in San Diego at the Doubletree…
Pennsylvania’s Wine Vending Machines
When I first read about Pennsylvania’s wine vending machines, two thoughts initially crossed my mind: (1) Cornell University’s apple vending machine has some competition for most obscure vending machine, and (2) what are the probable legal repercussions of implementing such a machine? What is the idea behind this device? Simple….