NYTimes: Russian Artisinal Wine

Interesting article in the NYTimes:
NYTimes:RussianArtisinalWine

The Feds are cracking down on the unlicensed artisinal winemakers who are competing against the Putin oligarch's industrial Winery operations. I am absolutely shocked that these wealthy oligarchs would be able to influence the bureaucrats in Moscow. Wouldn't happen in our country!!
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

Can we not discuss this until November 4?

That's a sad story . It's also a useful lesson of what can happen when an autocratic leader perverts democratic processes and state institutions in favour of his own and his cronies' personal interests . That can't happen here, of course .

Prohibitive fees for small wineries are similar to what prevailed in the US prior to the Farm Winery acts.