I see no threads, too many wines perhaps?

[Thomas]

You want a gripe Hotwine, here it is:

Unhappy with the Supreme Court's decision last spring, the nation's wholesalers have developed a new tactic. They have unleashed their lobbyists. How else to explain that by some strange coincidence about half a dozen states are arguing over nearly identical legislation that would place into cement the concept that all wine producers MUST ship wines to retailers and restaurants by way of distributor warehouses.

In many states, small wineries can act as their own distributors, since in many states distributors are uninterested in samll wineries. But the wholesalers want the government to guarantee that wineries of any size will distribute only through them.

If the wholeaslers win, it is only a step away from subverting the Supreme Court's decision by getting states not to ban shipping to consumers, but to ensure that all wineries must ship the wine first to a distributor's warehouse and then to the consumer--for a mark up of course.

You want a gripe--there it is. Consumers need to let legislators know that we are on to the virulent microbes called lobbyists who are bringing the message (and maybe some cash?) to state capitols.

Join freethegrapes.com.



[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 02-12-2006).]