Recommendations

Wine & Spirits

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Don't even think about breaking the law!

Seven states are felony states. If a winery is caught shipping to a consumer in violation of the state law, they can face felony penalties, and if convicted, lose their federal permit to make wine. In addition, North Dakota and Oklahoma have made it a felony to ship to minors.

• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• Tennessee
  

Out of Luck

Some states simply prohibit any direct shipments from out of state. (However, some of these allow you to personally carry in small quantities, so you are able to bring in a bottle or two in your suitcase or car.)

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

Maybe, Kinda, Sorta

Many states allow limited importation of wine for personal use. "Limited" means many things -- restricting the amount of wine that a resident can bring in during a given time period, requiring the winery or consumer to acquire a special permit or ensuring that state taxes are paid in the purchase. Some states place such substantial restrictions on the consumers, wineries, retailers, or shipping companies that it's impractical to ship there. However, in some of those cases, it may be legal to personally bring in small quantities of wine. The laws are often unclear, so for specific details on individual states, check with your state Alcohol Beverage Control Agency, or take a look at the Wine Institute's, the Free Grapes! or the American Vinters Association's web site.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Louisiana
• Nebraska
• Necada
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Vermont
• Wyoming

Twelve states have "reciprocal" shipping

Twelve states have "reciprocal" shipping legislation in place, meaning that wineries can ship to consumers who live in those states as long as the wineries' home state also allows out-of-state companies to ship to its residents. (most of these states also permit shipments from abroad.) For example, a California winery can ship to Illinois resident because both states are reciprocal, but New York winery can't ship to a California resident because New York isn't reciprocal.

• California
• Colorado
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Minnestoa
• Missouri
• New Mexico
• Oregon
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
  

This information was found in "The Wine Spectator"

 

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