Wine-friendly states

[Thomas]

Hotwine, I fear the importer restrictions are the ones that will defeat your purpose.

Not only licensing and family member restrictions, but many states require that an importer have the wines shipped to a licensed and bonded warehouse.

The states seem keen not to allow an individual to become an importer for the sake of getting his/her wine direct from supplier and thereby cutting out the middle market, and possibly the excise taxes, not to mention sales taxes at retail.

I am in the process of starting up a retail wine shop in Manhattan. We intended to also import, but after learning about the importer requirements, my partner and I decided to drop the idea and make arrangements with one that already exists.

Funny, you are thinking of retirement, and at 55, I am thinking of starting a new business--guess which one of us must have lost his faculties....