There are certain situations where the 800 lb gorilla just won’t budge. And it’s a shame, because consumers could finally enjoy real freedom of choice in their wine selections if these huge restrictions weren’t in the way. This is the case in five states across the country, in spite of all of the gains that ... Read more
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES ON DTC SHIPPING 2025 has seen quite a bit of activity on the direct shipping front. As you will remember, Arkansas, Delaware, and Mississippi all saw legislation pass, though there is still room for improvement within that legislation. Below is a look at current activities alphabetically by state: ARKANSAS: Direct shipping law now ... Read more
Great strides have been made to open all 50 of the United States to winery-to-consumer direct shipping – and we’re almost there! But while much of the focus is on states that ban direct shipping, there is still work to be done in several other states that maintain significant restrictions, despite being “open” to direct ... Read more
Why Many Wineries Can’t Ship to Consumers In Several States Since its founding in 1998, Free the Grapes’ mission has been to not only remove bans on winery-to-consumer direct shipping, but also streamline restrictions on direct shipping in many states. Did you know that several states still carry significant restrictions that hinge on whether a ... Read more
Legislative Updates On DTC Shipping Below is a look at current activities by state, of note: ARKANSAS: DTC Shipping Law Now In Effect As of August 5, the new law allowing DTC shipping, directly to consumers, will be in effect. This is HB 1476, which established a wine direct shipping permit like those in use ... Read more
A Disappointing Outcome for Wine-Loving Consumers in The First State In June 2025, we shared the news that the Delaware legislature was voting on a bill regarding winery-to-consumer direct shipping. Delaware remains one of only two states that ban this kind of shipping, and it has been a subject of much discussion for years among ... Read more
Why the fight for legal, regulated direct shipping remains vital Why does the fight for winery-to-consumer direct shipping remain vital? Great success has been achieved since the Free the Grapes! campaign was established in 1998. The map of the United States representing freedom for direct shipping has changed; from a patchwork of closed states and ... Read more
Free the Grapes! Urges Wine Lovers to Speak Out Against House Bill 187 Delaware is still one of the few states in the nation that continues an archaic ban on direct-to-consumer winery shipments. The latest bill being introduced to address this is a step backward in the fight for consumer choice and direct shipping. HB ... Read more
As we approach mid-year and the end of spring legislative sessions, there are a number of updates to share with you regarding legislation affecting direct shipping. Winery-to-Consumer Direct Shipping Opens in MS and AR Over the last few months, we’ve been excited to share that progress was made in these states to open them more ... Read more
May 16, 2025, marks the 20th anniversary of a landmark moment for wine lovers, wineries, and common sense: the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Granholm v. Heald which was a milestone in the fight for winery-to-consumer direct shipping. While it didn’t make national headlines for long, its impact has been aging beautifully — like ... Read more
