Oenophiles rejoice: A decades-old law restricting the right of D.C. residents to import wine may be nearing its end.
Legislation before the D.C. Council would boost the volume of wine a person could have shipped into the city to two cases per month, per home or business. Existing law prohibits imports of more than a single quart per month to any person who does not hold a manufacturer’s, wholesaler’s or retailer’s license.
In other words, going outside local dealers for that obscure Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty much a no go.
“People want greater opportunities for various types of wines that they can bring in,” said Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, who introduced the bill. “The wholesalers have some really post-prohibition laws and restrictions [to their benefit], so I think what I was willing to do was to introduce the legislation to at least open the discussion.”
The measure is likely to spark heated debate, however, between wholesalers, retailers and the everyday wine fan.
Illegal importation of alcohol is commonplace and Graham’s bill “sort of makes sense because it brings life into reality,” said Paul L. Pascal, who represents the D.C. Association of Beverage Alcohol Wholesalers. But once people start importing at will from unlicensed vendors, Pascal said, both D.C. and the wholesalers could face significant revenue losses.
Pascal called on the District to establish a licensing mechanism for vineyards and other outside suppliers who would ship into the District.
But a so-called nonresident suppliers license would essentially wipe out the intent of Graham’s bill and drastically reduce the variety of wines on retailers’ shelves, responded Michael Fonseca with the Retail Liquor Dealers Association. D.C. retailers are allowed to import wines not carried by local wholesalers, a benefit threatened by a such a license.
“You give [residents] the appearance of being able to import two cases of wine, but if the vendor doesn’t acquire the license, you can’t do it,” Fonseca said.
Examiner wine columnist Scott Greenberg said vineyards already list D.C. as a jurisdiction to which they can legally ship. Limiting shipments of wine, especially those kept by wholesalers in limited quantities, is “such a silly thing,” Greenberg said.
