HOOSIER STATE STILL SUPPORTING THEIR WHOLESALERS

It appears as though the word of the day is “compromise.” According to the Indystar.com, Indiana lawmakers appear ready to pass a bill that will allow wineries to use limited direct shipping. HB 1016 gives Indiana’s 32 wineries the right to ship 3,000 cases of wine a year directly to wine-consumers. And when that limit is reached, well, that’s all folks. Individuals may receive up to 24 cases a year in total from in-state and out-of-state vineyards. On Thursday, March 9, nine wineries with pending lawsuits agree to drop the charges once the House and Senate reached a compromise on HB 1016. Supporters of the bill, mainly wholesalers, believe the legislations will help prevent underage kids from getting a hold of wine and also ensure that all state taxes are collected properly. Distributors, in short, provide a service they are well equipped to do and have been doing since Prohibition, and it looks as though not all states are letting go of the 3-tier system. Distributors will be used when shipping to restaurants and retailers in Indiana, and all customers must show identification in person upon receiving their first shipment.