DTC Shipping Updates from Free the Grapes! August 2025


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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 Blow to Direct Shipping Dreams In DE


Delaware’s wine shipping bill waits to be signed by Gov. Meye, but is it the right move?
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

Impact of Winery-to-Consumer Direct Shipping Highlighted by Silicon Valley Bank’s 2025 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Report


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

Object to HB 187 – DE’s “Anti” Direct Shipping Bill


Object to HB 187! Free the Grapes in DE!
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

Updates on Legislation Affecting Direct Shipping


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

20 Years of Progress: How Granholm v. Heald Uncorked Winery-to-Consumer Direct Shipping


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

Free the Grapes! May 2025 DTC Shipping Updates


LEGISLATIVE UPDATES ON DTC SHIPPING This spring has been a busy season for legislative activity around DTC shipping and associated issues. We saw some great success in a couple of areas, while in other areas we remain hopeful that we can continue our campaigns in the next legislative sessions. Below is a look at current ... Read more

Arkansas Now Open For Winery-to-Consumer Direct Shipping


State of Arkansas
We’re happy to report success in Arkansas! This state was one of two that maintained an on-site purchase requirement. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has recently signed legislation that will finally make the state open to winery-to-consumer direct shipping. Arkansas’s On-Site Requirement This requirement meant that consumers were required to visit the winery premises to complete ... Read more

Key Words in the DTC Wine Shipping Conversation


Brush up on your vocabulary around winery to consumer direct shipping The subject of DTC wine shipping is a complex one, seemingly with its own language. Here is a quick rundown of some key words in this conversation; a refresher to help you keep on top of the discussion: Shipping – this is when the ... Read more

The Power of the Consumer Voice


Supporting direct to consumer shipping for wineries Since 1998, we’ve been proud to help create DTC sales opportunities for wineries by increasing direct shipping. We couldn’t agree more with this statement from a recent Forbes article – “While one consumer’s voice can be impactful…, collective action and many voices all talking in unison can be ... Read more