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Steve Hunt introduces customers to his favorite wine. If they like it they better buy a bottle now, because in Tennessee they cannot have wine shipped directly to them.
[0]Ocoee WineryOcoee Winery Owner Steve Hunt, "It would help my business tremendously if we could ship wine."
Hunt opened his Ocoee Winery two years ago. But the battle between wine makers and lawmakers started well before then. Wine makers say allowing them to ship directly to consumers would boost business and offer more choice to customers.
Hunt, "I have one lady that drives up from Florida about every six months, comes up and buys several cases of wine and turns around and drives back. It would be a lot easier for her if she could pick up the phone and have it shipped to her."
Opponents worry underage drinkers would have easy access to buying wine online.
Hunt, "The other thing is wholesalers want to collect money on the wines that we sell, they want to make sure the wine goes through their system."
[0]Ocoee Winery
Thirty six states already allow direct to customer wine shipments. But in Tennessee, Hunt could face felony charges and lose his wine making permit if he breaks the law.
Another proposed law could allow wine sales in retail stores but Hunt hasn't made up his mind on that one yet.
Hunt, "I'd like to see it go through for some reasons and other reasons I'd like to be one of the only people selling wine in the county."
Hunt doesn't like politics, so while lawmakers go back and forth, he'll keep making wine.
www.ocoeewinery.com [1]
www.specialtywineretailers.org [2]
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