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Categorized | General, New Jersey

Free The Grapes Update

 Free The Grapes Update

Update: Winery-to-Consumer Shipping to New Jersey

November 14, 2020
Momentum!

Dear New Jersey Wine Lovers:
Our multi-year campaign to expand consumer choice in wine is gaining momentum!  But we still need your help.
First, the update. Last month, for the first time in years, a consumer-friendly wine shipping bill – Assembly bill 1943 – had a hearing before an Assembly Committee in Trenton.  Both A.1943 and its Senate companion S.2683 would create a license for wineries and wine companies producing more than 106,000 cases per vintage to ship directly to New Jersey consumers.
In effect, these bills will remove the current “capacity cap” on wineries wishing to ship wine to you.
In the last few weeks more than 14 news outlets have written stories on this issue.  And wine lovers like you have sent more than 2,200 personalized messages to state legislators supporting the bills.
That is all forward progress! 
But we need you to continue writing state legislators, showing support for this new license. We’ve made that easy – just take 2 minutes to visit our website and personalize our sample message. Here’s the link:

https://freethegrapes.org/alert/winery-new-jersey/

As you probably know, New Jersey is one of only two states that bans winery-to-consumer shipments from wineries producing more than 250,000 gallons (106,000 cases) each vintage (Ohio is the other state). The capacity cap prohibits small and medium-sized wineries owned by larger wineries from shipping directly to you.  This statute prevents direct shipping from wineries responsible for producing more than 90% of U.S. wine. 
With COVID restrictions on restaurants, retail sales and travel, now is the time to remove this cap. Winery direct-to-consumer shipments increased 29% across the whole U.S. from January to June of 2020.  They increased only 9% for New Jersey.  It’s more obvious than ever that this capacity cap prevents us from getting convenient, safe, direct purchases of wine. As we know from other states like Maryland, these shipments do not replace purchases, shipments or deliveries from local retailers where they are allowed.
It’s time to give New Jersey legislators notice that you want real choice. It’s time to allow ALL wineries to ship wine to New Jersey wine drinkers. 
Thank you for your support!
Free the Grapes! 
P.S.  Join Facebook.com/FreetheGrapesNewJersey for news and updates. And forward this email to friends and colleagues. Legislators really do listen to consumers and we need New Jersey wine lovers to speak up. 

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 Free The Grapes Update

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