A bill to allow Louisiana consumers to have their favorite wine shipped directly from the manufacturer passes in the House. Current law prohibits manufacturers from sending vino directly to a connoisseur in Louisiana. Larose Representative Joseph Orgeron said 44 other states allow this but in Louisiana, a wholesale agreement with distributors hinders the sale.
“If the winery has an agreement to ship a particular label into Louisiana, then you can’t buy that label over the internet or direct to consumer shipping and this would remove that one stipulation,” said Orgeron.
Opponents like Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle said it could hurt wine wholesalers and retailers in the state.
“I think it will impact the local retailers and our local economy, I just have issues with extending directly to consumers,” said Marcelle.
Orgeron said due to the current law wineries do not file appropriate paperwork to ship directly to consumers in the state because the agreement with wholesalers and retailers hinders them from shipping most of their products.
“Anytime you go to a vineyard and you’re there and you say I really like this wine I’d like to buy some, as soon as you get to a point to where you say you’re from Louisiana you get the cold shoulder and they say I’m sorry we don’t ship to Louisiana,” said Orgeron.
House bill 393 passed 53-40 and now heads to the full body of the Senate.
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