Politics & Government

Maryland Wineries Hopeful As Legislature Takes on Direct Shipping

Legislation would allow wineries to ship wine directly to consumers.

Valerie Bonk, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
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Passage of two bills could make shipping wine to customers in Maryland legal for the first time since a ban prohibited direct shipping in 1933. 

Votes were scheduled for today in Annapolis.

Thirty-seven states, or 75 percent of the United States and the District of Columbia, allow adult consumers to have wine shipped directly to their homes. 

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The system in place monitors the sale of alcoholic products through a system in which wine is shipped first to a wholesaler in Maryland, which sells products to a distributor, which then transports the wine to retailers.

The process was put in place to keep alcohol out of minors' hands, but for local wineries, these are lost sales.

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"It’s difficult for smaller wineries who aren’t largely distributed to get wine that’s ordered to consumers," said Ray Brasfield, president of the Maryland Winery Association and owner of Cygnus Wine Cellars in Manchester.

"It would be a tremendous benefit to be able to ship wine that’s ordered, especially after the large wine festivals," he said. "I’m here in the middle of the state and I get calls and e-mails from time to time from people over on the Eastern Shore and western Maryland who want to know how they can buy my wine. It would be a major advantage to put it on the truck and ship it."

However, not everyone is so sure the legislation is a good idea.

Jason Zaiderman, owner of Eddie's Liquors in Charles Village, said he's concerned about the impact direct wine sales could have on retailers.

"I think there's too many questions that are unanswered," he said. 

According to a statement released by the Maryland Wineries Association, the bill has more co-sponsors than any other legislation filed so far this session.

The bill under consideration would allow a limited number of cases of wine from in-state and out-of-state wineries to be shipped directly to residents.

"Every opportunity that we have to sell a bottle of wine should be available to us, and those sorts of sales at this point are not," said Brasfield. 

Similar legislation has been introduced during the past three years in the Maryland General Assembly but has not passed.

"It’s something we’re looking forward to making sure that the legislators know the position of Maryland wineries as far as this legislation. Our customers have asked for it for a long time. It’s been a long time coming and the strength of the consumer support last year made it possible for us to get this far," said Brasfield.

House Bill 234 and Senate Bill 248 are scheduled for hearings Friday, March 4 at 1 p.m.

Senate Co-sponsors of SB248 House Co-Sponsors of HB234

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