Baltimore, MD – In the end, a proposal to allow Maryland’s Jews to get more of their favorite wines by mail just wasn’t kosher enough for state lawmakers.
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A Senate committee voted Friday to pass a bill that will allow wineries in and outside of Maryland to ship bottles of vino directly to customers. But an amendment to the legislation that would have permitted more kosher wines to be mailed from out of state didn’t make the cut.
The amendment would have allowed orthodox Jews and other religious groups to order wine through retailers and wineries.
The tale of direct wine shipping in and out of Maryland is long and involved. Wineries, wine connoisseurs and some retailers had pushed for years for the right to mail wines directly. They won more clout in Annapolis with the release of a report from Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot in support of direct wine shipping.
Read more at American City Business Journals
As a maryland resident, I hope the Jewish community is not using any political chits to get this bill passed since it addresses a non-issue. As several of us have previously noted, there is no shortage of retail outlets where one can purchase great kosher wines in either the Baltimore or Washington suburbs, and we don’t mean Manischwtiz or other utlra sweet excuses for kosher wine. We mean really good kosher vintage wines from all over the U.S. and the world.
It’s a shame if any “political chits” are needed for this. In a free market economy, this should be a non-issue. Anyone should be order to order from anywhere.
this is not a non issue by excluding kosher wines they are discriminating if every other wine is included in mail order then there is a great legal issue here and yes you will see prices fall if allowed
Whats the prob?
They should allow it no matter about the shortage or not!
Its a free country!
To #8 , Montgomery County IS unique in that it is the only COUNTY that is liquor controlled in a state that is not liquor controlled, as opposed to an entire state being controlled, like NH or PA.
To #3, Montgomery County has some of the cheapest prices on Scotch and Bourbon in the country and if they give over business to private retailers, the customers will lose that purchasing opportunity because a private retailer can 217;t buy in the same discounted bulk as the entire county. Further, right now, you can 217;t get, i.e., four gates wine in MD, but if direct shipping were available, you could get it.