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Small Wineries May Benefit
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But there are potential losers from the ruling, as well. Topping that list are distributors, the profitable middlemen who stand between wine producers and the restaurants, bars and retailers who sell to consumers. A spokesman for Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America Inc., a trade group, declined to comment.
In a statement, the group said: "WSWA supports state efforts to strengthen -- not weaken -- alcohol laws by making all producers play from the same set of rules that ensure accountable, responsible alcohol sales."
David Sloane, WineAmerica's president, said the ruling could eventually shift business away from local liquor stores, where the majority of wine is purchased. "The rank-and-file retailer is not happy about this," Sloane said. "It enables consumers to get wine without them."
But savvy retailers already see opportunity in the ruling. Michael Sands, a partner at Calvert Woodley, a wine and liquor store in Northwest Washington, said the store will probe whether it, too, can make interstate wine shipments.
Meanwhile, wineries across the country are fielding calls from out-of-state customers who have waited years to order their favorite bottle.
"Oh, my God -- first thing this morning we're getting calls from customers already and e-mails. It was, 'Yahoo you can ship to Florida!' 'To Michigan!' Everyone is cheering," said Paula Galleron, a sales associate at Trefethen Vineyards, a family-owned boutique winery in Napa, Calif. Outside of California, it sells its wine mostly in high-end restaurants such as Butterfield 9 in the District.
But Terry Hall, who oversees direct-to-consumer sales for the winery, said there are complicated state tax and shipping restrictions that the company needs to work out first. "We're not ready to send wine today, that's for sure," he said.
At Willowcroft, the Leesburg vineyard, the phone rang yesterday around noon. Richard Borror, an Indiana businessman who buys wine from the vineyard when traveling to the Washington area for work, had just learned of the Supreme Court's decision and wanted to place an order for four cases.
"I can't get it in Indiana," said Borror. The existing laws "don't make much sense," he said. "I am not a wine connoisseur. I am not pretentious about this stuff at all. I just like the wine."
Staff writer Ariana Eunjung Cha in San Francisco contributed to this report.
