Why You Can't Ship Your Favorite Wine Across State Lines: Tom Wark on Arcane Alcohol Regulations

"Given the intertia of wine regulations and wine laws, the only way to begin to get them repealed or reformed is to bring them to light," says Tom Wark, a wine marketer in Napa Valley and founder of the American Wine Consumer Coalition.

Wark says that wine regulations are outdated and cater to special interest "middle men" who use the law to insert themselves between wine producers and retailers and consumers. He points to the fact that while 40 states allow consumers to ship wine straight from their favorite winery to their home address, only 14 states allow consumers to order wine online directly from out-of-state retailers. Wark argues that these regulations clearly benefit local retailers and big wholesalers at the expense of consumers.

"It's rent-seeking at its worst," says Wark.

Approximately 3 minutes. Shot and Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Music by Ion Romania and Yukon.

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