Direct Shipping in Maryland

[James Roscoe]

Here is the latest on direct shipping in Maryland. I know there are a number of fellow WLDGRers interested in this legislation (as well as the author). I hope the author will forgive my posting this link. Quite frankly I am not very optomistic.

Can you believe it, something that actually makes me happy to live in DC! Oh, sure you've got your vote in congress but I've got crates of vino coming to my door. Well a few bottles anyway. We actually not any at the moment. But I could. In theory of course.

I can't believe that the Three Tier Mafia are worried about people trying to get the few odd bottles that they are not carrying. Do they really think folks are going to skip buying from their local shop, and therefore distributor, in order to pay an extra $5-10+ a bottle and wait who knows how long to get something the distros don't have and certainly aren't going to get in the first place.

I can't believe that the Three Tier Mafia are worried about people trying to get the few odd bottles that they are not carrying. Do they really think folks are going to skip buying from their local shop, and therefore distributor, in order to pay an extra $5-10+ a bottle and wait who knows how long to get something the distros don't have and certainly aren't going to get in the first place.

Just speaking for myself, direct shipping would seriously impact my shopping habits. I already do my serious wine shopping in DC but this is limited to a few times a year. I do a lot of local buying between those big trips. Generally the prices I pay are slightly higher than going to DC and definetly higher than a lot of the wine that is being dumped these days (even when shipping is included). Add in the things that I can't get locally like ESJ and Tercero and I could see my wine buying within the state cut down to less than 25% of what it is right now. Heck considering the DC tax rate I could probably have MacArthurs ship for the same price it cost me to go to the store and then I would not have to drive the hour each way.

Yeah I would stop buying in Maryland altogether. Not sure how many like me there are but in my case it would make a big difference.

You live in MD?

Being a District resident I have the ability to have wine shipped but the number of things I would get is very small, owing largely to cost. So I'll probably spend some money with say Peay Vineyards but that's going to be a small portion of my drinks budget (well large in some other ways) since I have access to really good local shops (Weygandt, MacArthur, Ace, Wine Specialist, Schneiders, Cleveland Park, etc.). I suppose I can see some class of drinkers like yourself who would do far more online if it was available I have to think that that number is a minority, even if you're just looking at fairly serious wine buffs.

I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

You live in MD?

Yup. About 35-40 miles south of DC. Outside of La Plata.

I do have wine shipped to someone in DC but I hate to ask them to hold too much wine for me so I limit my orders to only those things that I really want. If I could have it shipped direct to me it would be a different beast. Also, we have what I call the southern Maryland premium on wine pricing. All prices are a couple dollars more per bottle than I can get them in Annapolis or DC. The real wine shops are limited and they know that most folks won't make the drive so they can extract a couple extra dollars off of us.

I think direct shipping in MD would also have a positive impact on the quality of wines offered for sale in MD bases on supply and demand and competition. I, too, shop in DC for wine-quality reasons and carry bottles home to MD. (I recall buying a case at Schneider's walking back to my office (20 minutes) with 2 six-bottle plastic bags and taking the wine home two at a time for the next six days!!!) I'm also having the fruits of my recent Napa trip shipped to my office, and then carry them home. Maryland is missing out on so much, IMHO.

Maryland almost gets none of my wine budget as I buy my wine in DC and VA or have shipments sent to my parent's house in VA. The other side of this is that the prices of wine is higher in Montgomery County that surrounding areas. Plus the state liquor stores undercuts the private beer and wine shops. For example, a bottle of La Crema Pinot Noir was about $26 in a private store, $22 in the state store, and about $20 in Virgina (Total Wine). Because of the system, the county (it might be the state) maintains a wine list and retailers are forced to buy from that list (I believe restaurants also) so one wine store is pretty much like the others.

Interesting, I received a call this morning from my old wine club. They told me again that they can ship to all states (except Utah) using their freight forwarder. Not sure what this means but I'm happy with Bassins and the world-wide web.

Interesting, I received a call this morning from my old wine club. They told me again that they can ship to all states (except Utah) using their freight forwarder. Not sure what this means but I'm happy with Bassins and the world-wide web.

I don't believe that this is still the case. There was a time when Maryland law allowed you to ship your wine to your home in Maryland provided that the transaction took place out of state. You could not call up a winery and have them send you the wine but you could call up a winery pay for the wine and the sales tax and have a freight forwarder pick it up and send it to you and it was all legal. Last time I looked at the Maryland law this is no longer allowed without the receiver getting a special permit. The law goes so far as to restrict one who is moving into the state to transport the contents of their wine cellar to their new home without proof of home purchase and a special permit and the usage of specially licensed carriers if my memory is correct. I am too lazy to look it up to make sure this is 100% correct but if not it is fairly close. If you are interested you can google it or search here as I believe I posted a link to the portion of the law in a previous thread on Maryland shipping.

[James Roscoe]

The bottom line is that this legislation will never pass as long as Mike Miller is president of the Maryland state senate. He and the distributor lobby is joined at the hip!

I am proud to note that my very own state senator is the author of the direct shipping bill, and I am equally disgusted to note the hammerlock that the Three Tier Mafia seems to have on the General Assembly. I am glad he keeps trying and if enough of us raise hell about it, the damn thing might just pass some day. Like a lot of legislation with far greater societal impact than this one, it often takes an effort lasting many years, sometimes even decades, to achieve victory.

By the way, there are ways to have wine shipped anyway, but if you want to know, PM me.

Being a District resident I have the ability to have wine shipped but the number of things I would get is very small, owing largely to cost.

Keep in mind that the cost of shipping is often pretty close to that 9 percent sales tax they slap on you in the District.

By the way, there are ways to have wine shipped anyway, but if you want to know, PM me.

Agreed, there are a lot of ways to have wine shipped. We all know that at least one resident in Monkton does it. I, however, know of no legal way to do it that does not require either the receipient to have a permit from the state to recieve the wine or the winery to have a direct shipping permit and then they can only tship via a wholesaler and a retailer.

To have a wine club claim they can ship legally through a freight forwarder to ones home appears to be incorrect.

Not sure how many of you are aware since I was not until this morning. Seem that Sen. Bobby Zirkin attached to SB 858 direct shipping legislation and it is to be voted on today. Turns out that this may not be a good thing because it was attached to the winery modernization bill which looked like it was going to pass easy and allow MD wineries to do lots of things that normal wineries in other states can already do like sell food and let visitors taste wine without first requiring them to go on a tour of the winery.

In the strangest twist of fate, the Maryland Wineries Association was actully urging members to call their senator to voice their opposition to the ammendment for fear that it will result in the whole package going down to defeat.

Seem that Sen. Bobby Zirkin attached to SB 858 direct shipping legislation and it is to be voted on today.

I heard the same thing today - let's see what happens.

Maybe the double down will pay big?

[James Roscoe]

Here is an article on the Post's site mentioning the conflict. You have to go to the very end of the article.

The ammendment was withdrawn. While I want direct shipping, this was the best move for the Maryland wineries as the bill addressed a number of issues that the wineries needed fixed.

I asked about VA but never thought to poll the assembled, anything worth drinking from MD? I figure the Old Line State must have something going on.

I asked about VA but never thought to poll the assembled, anything worth drinking from MD? I figure the Old Line State must have something going on.

Not a lot. Check out Black Ankle which is getting a lot of good press. Beyond that it is largley hit or miss, mostly miss.

A trip out to Mount Airy in Frederick County is a nice Saturday drive and you can visit 4 or 5 wineries. I won't list them all (see http://www.marylandwine.com) but there is a good wine at Black Ankle, a nice port and an ice wine at Elk Run and some fun fruit wines at Linganore. A few of the wineries have pretty nice festivals once a month or so or nice evenings with wine and live music where you can bring your own dinner. There's also a winery/tasting room in downtown Frederick called Frederick Cellars. I wouldn't expect take-your-breath-away wines, but it is a lot of fun and the City of Frederick has great restaurants (Volt being just one of them but maybe the best in the Mid-Atlantic) and nice shops to walk around in and a nice river (Carroll Creek) walk.

I asked about VA but never thought to poll the assembled, anything worth drinking from MD? I figure the Old Line State must have something going on.

Interestingly enough, the other night someone brought a bottle of a wine made in Silver Spring (?!?!?) -- I think it's a home-based winery, obviously there are no vines here. It was made from Montepulciano (?!?!?). The appellation was "America," so who knows where the grapes were grown. The wine was unusual, but actually quite drinkable -- very very earthy with dark fruit, some herbal elements and no obvious oak. Not sure I'd recommend it as anything other than a curiosity or conversation piece and no idea what it cost, but as I said, it was worth trying and certainly not something I'd pour down the drain.

It was made from Montepulciano (?!?!?).

There is some grown in the state. Last Maryland Grape Growers Association survey shows only 2150 vines in the state http://www.marylandgrapes.org/vineyards/2008VineyardSurvey.pdf but I believe more have gone in since. I have talked to one grower in S. MD that has been happy with the first few vintages. This is one grape I thought would not do well due to the humid conditions.

There is some grown in the state. Last Maryland Grape Growers Association survey shows only 2150 vines in the state http://www.marylandgrapes.org/vineyards/2008VineyardSurvey.pdf but I believe more have gone in since. I have talked to one grower in S. MD that has been happy with the first few vintages. This is one grape I thought would not do well due to the humid conditions.

Indeed. I know Abruzzo is hot but isn't it dry heat?

[James Roscoe]

Is direct shipping dead for this year? I guess I predicted that, but I secretly had hopes.

Indeed. I know Abruzzo is hot but isn't it dry heat?

That is correct. I also believe the grape is thin skinned.