New Jersey Legislators Considering Direct Wine Shipments

Lawmakers in New Jersey are considering overturning legislation to allow direct shipments of wine to the state's consumers. As NJ residents rank in the top 5 of wine-consuming states, the windfall for specialty producers could be significant.

Wine aficionados in New Jersey are preparing their toast. The Courier News reports that New Jersey lawmakers are considering repealing a ban on direct wine shipments to New Jersey consumers. New Jersey currently prohibits direct-to-consumer shipments from out-of-state wineries, one of 15 states in the country that disallow the activity. Wineries in California and Oregon, particularly those that offer specialty yields for more affluent palates, would likely benefit from this decision - as New Jersey is in the top 5 among wine-consuming states, behind California, Florida, New York, and Texas. According to Bev-Al Communications, New Jersey consumed 25.7 million bottles of wine in 2008. This is no surprise to the Specialty Wine Retail Association, which has been funding lawsuits against states that only allow in-state wine retailers to ship direct. While SWRA believes that "any adult consumer in any state should be allowed to legally purchase and have shipped to them any wine from any retailer in America," many states strive for localized protectionism. SWRA has every reason to make this push. In 2005, the New York Times reported New Jersey to be in a dead heat with Connecticut for the status of the most affluent state in median income - and the tastes of these affluent consumers may translate into high-end wine sales among out-of-state retailers.