State laws for shipping wine

[Jerry D Mead]

The truth of the matter is that most wineries and wine shops will not ship to Mass and other wine unfriendly states...but some retailers will if you check around and especially if you are a regular customer and they know you aren't a government agent doing a sting.

And while it is not legal, if you pack and send the wine yourself there's almost no chance of interference or prosecution. The states aren't after individual gift-givers...they're trying to stop e-commerce and mail order business as part of home state protectionism for their own wholesale monopoly.

Just make sure your package is in an approved shipper (broken bottles in transit are a real giveaway) or very well padded and lie or bend the truth when the shipper asks what's inside. I usually say fruit preserves (not totally untrue) or olive oil. If you tell UPS or whatever common carrier that there's wine inside...they won't take it for you either.

And ask your friend in MA to raise hell with his politicians about the ban.