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Nov
2
Yup, got my Wine Country Gift Baskets catalogue today, along with two inches of other junk mail. And on the back of the catalogue:
The note about the states to which the company will ship? It appears at the bottom of every, single page of the 26 page catalogue.
With sincere apologies to Keith of Bad American, because I know Matt Dolan is his state rep. and wants us to give Dolan a chance to correct the problems (and I agree – we should let him address the problems), I still must say that “press time” must have been before Dolan got too busy to review the new law, when it was still in his committee and just a bill. (Sorry Keith – I can only contain so much snark – my bad, I know.) According to that article, the law cuts off shipments from more than 100 California wineries. The Wine Country Gift Basket.com company ships from California.
The blog, ShipCompliantBlog.com has a few excellent posts with the details of the restrictions and advice for how wineries can get permits to ship. Another excellent tool from The Wine Institute gives us the links to the rules and regs. However, I haven’t yet found the list of wineries prohibited from shipping. Anyone else find one? I spent a few minutes on the state Liquor Control website, did some searching but couldn’t find anything. That definitely shouldn’t be interpreted as there being no list, but it’s not obvious.
I did find this information for consumers:
Direct Shipping for Ohio Consumers
Wine can be shipped directly to Ohio residents for personal use from an Ohio or out of state winery that holds an S permit issued by the Division of Liquor Control.
Wine that is shipped directly to Ohio residents for personal use from an out-of-state retailer requires the Ohio resident to complete and submit to the Division of Liquor Control an “Ohio Excise and Use Tax Filing” form (see below), and pay the appropriate taxes.
Ohio residents who wish to have beer or low-proof mixed beverages shipped directly to them for personal use from either a out of state beer or mixed beverage manufacturer or out of state retailer are required to complete and submit to the Division of Liquor Control an “Ohio Excise and Use Tax Filing” form and pay the appropriate taxes.
Ohio residents who have purchased from outside Ohio and bring beer, wine or low-proof mixed beverages into the state for personal use are also required to complete and submit to the Division of Liquor Control an “Ohio Excise and Use Tax Filing” form and pay the appropriate taxes.
Unless wine is shipped directly to the consumer by the holder of an S permit, the following restrictions under Ohio Administrative Code section 4301:1-1-23 apply.
(1) The alcoholic beverage is for the Ohio resident’s personal use and not for resale;
(2) The laws of the United States allow the shipment of the alcoholic beverage into the United States.
(3) The alcoholic beverage is not registered for sale in Ohio.
(4) All taxes due the state of Ohio shall be paid at the time that the consent is requested from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.
(5) In no event shall the amount of alcoholic beverage to be brought into Ohio exceed fifteen gallons per family household in any three-month period. No amount may be cumulated with any later or earlier-issued consent, and no amount may be pooled with shipments pursuant to any other consent.
(6) If the alcoholic beverage is shipped into Ohio and not personally brought into the United States or Ohio by the purchaser, the shipment may only be received by the individual purchaser named on the sales or shipping order. No other designated person, by way of power of attorney or any other method, may receive said alcoholic beverage.
Anyone think that the companies stuck like WineCountryGiftBaskets.com would have a legal action against Ohio for its print costs and extra customer service time they’ll have to allot to help people in Ohio realize that they may not be able to get the wine?
It would be nice if our local paper of record had an online resource to help us figure all this out, seeing as how the state doesn’t seem to provide all that much practical, easily understandable advice. Well – I don’t understand it all. Maybe I just need it to be easier than most people need it.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:36 pm November 2nd, 2007 in Business, Economy, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse
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3 Responses to “No Wine Country Gift Baskets for you, Ohioans!”
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I dunno Jill maybe he’s just not a wine drinker. Maybe he’s just, ah, ADHD. Look, if the worst thing he ever does is fall asleep on a bill that makes sure we can’t get wine over the net then we’re lucky. OK, if I ever see him again, I’ll ask if he remembers the time I hit him in the head with a baseball on the Notre Dame Elementary school playground. Honest it was 30 odd years ago and I swear it was an accident. And, oh, by the way, about that wine law? I have a friend in Pepper Pike who wants her California pinot noir over the net. . .
Ok, here’s what you do. Find a friend in a direct mail state – have them order whatever you want and then repackage it and send it to you. Voila! Cabernet Savignon by other means.
Maybe you can get Wine Country Gift Baskets to package wine in plain brown boxes marked: SEX TOYS. I guarantee you, no one from liquor control will think to open them up. And you can always tell the neighbors “It’s just wine.”
Now THAT is an EXCELLENT come-back comment. Thank you Keith – I laughed out loud. WHILE I’m drinking a glass of wine (don’t know where it’s from).
Thanks for taking my post in the right spirit. It’s just so aggravating. Okay – promise – I will try to not write about it again. Dead horse. Beaten.
I got a good laugh about the shipping boxes. I ship wine gift baskets all the time, the only problem is that most gifts are ordered for corporate gifts… at least your company would be the talk of the water cooler.lol Wine restrictions are total bs government control I am surprised the republicans allow it.