by Joel Goldberg

A State House Committee has unanimously approved a bill to halt all retail wine delivery in Michigan, whether by in-state or out-of-state merchants. The action, on a 6-0 vote, came Thursday, November 13, one day after the bill was introduced.

The legislation would outlaw such common practices as sending gift baskets that contain wine, or stores delivering wine to the site of a wedding or party. Michigan retailers could only turn over wine to customers at their stores, and consumers would lose the right to order wine by phone or online for retailer delivery.

According to Cari Noga in Crain's Detroit Business, the ban would also jeopardize the existence of new Michigan online startup, Winebuys.com, whose entire business model relies on shipping directly from Michigan to customers nationwide. Noga reported its Detroit-area founders recently invested over $1 million to start the business, and anticipate $10 million in sales by next year.

The bill, co-sponsored by term-limited lame duck Representatives Barbara Farrah and Chris Ward, came in response to a recent Federal court decision (article) that overturned Michigan's retail wine shipping law as unconstitutional.

The invalidated law let in-state retailers ship or deliver wine to their customers, but denied the same right to out-of-state merchants.

Robert Epstein, plaintiffs' attorney in the case, called the legislature's attempt to prohibit all retail shipping "vindictive", noting that  Michigan's own retail businesses and consumers would be the major losers if the proposed delivery ban passes. Epstein acknowledged that a ban could supply grounds for the State to return to court and seek dismissal of the original verdict.

Those who received sufficient advance notice to attend the Committee hearing included representatives of the Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association (MBWWA) and the state's Liquor Control Commission, both of whom spoke in favor of the ban.

MBWWA members are among the state's top contributors to the campaign coffers and officeholder funds of Michigan legislators (see sidebar). They control the selection, price and distribution of nearly all wine sold at retail and in restaurants within Michigan.

If the legislative delivery ban fails to pass and the court ruling remains intact, Michigan consumers would have an option to receive wine deliveries from out-of-state retailers who don't buy from MBWWA members.

Last update: 11/17/08

PREVIOUSLY  IN MICHWINE ON RETAIL SHIPPING:
Original story: Court throws out Michigan retail shipping law, with updates
Judge Hood's full ruling (will open in new tab or window)
Judge Hood's stay order (will open in new tab or window)
Editor's Blog: Don't place your order yet
Story: Wine.com shipping to Michigan in violation of court stay
Editor's blog: Wine.com is wrong. But Michigan's shipping ban is much worse.
Story: State and Wholesalers appeal court ruling, with updates

According to the San Francisco Chronicle's  SFGate website -- where such information is extremely important -- Barack Obama beat John McCain in 8 of the nation's top 10 wine producing states, including Michigan. The two outliers: Texas and Kentucky.

Obama won in states that house 88% of all U.S. wineries, and produce either 98 or 99% of all U.S. wines, depending on which poll you read.

At right, Larry Mawby shows off a bottle of his (sold out) Obama sparkling wine. Mawby donated $1 from each bottle to the Obama campaign.

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Photo courtesy of the Leelanau Enterprise

Problem? No wine left!

Old Mission Peninsula winery Two Lads announced on October 17 that it had closed its tasting room until April, 2009, because it has completely run out of wine.

The new winery, whose industrial-modern design became an instant tourist magnet, had just 1800 cases of wine available to sell during its first summer in operation.

When the winery reopens, Two Lads will offer its first Riesling, along with a Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Franc Reserve, and Merlot from the highly-regarded 2007 vintage.

That's easy -- look at the label!

You may soon be able to figure out how just how dry -- or sweet -- a bottle of Michigan Riesling tastes with a quick glance at its label.

The "Riesling Taste Profile" pinpoints a wine's sweetness on a scale from Dry to Sweet. The International Riesling Foundation (IRF) developed the Profile in consultation with wineries in a half-dozen countries, and made it available earlier this month for winemakers worldwide to print on their labels.

"Riesling’s many styles can fit almost any taste preference, but consumers may be put off if they are expecting one taste and get another," explained California wine journalist Dan Berger, who spearheaded the profile's development for the IRF.

"It allows wine tastes to be more easily conveyed to consumers," said Ed O'Keefe III, president of Chateau Grand Traverse, Michigan's largest Riesling producer. "Today, people can put a wine out there and call it dry, even if it's sweet."  (See  MichWine's interview with O'Keefe, below, for more details.)