Another year and another defeat for direct shipping in Maryland can certainly depress the 20,000 people who make up Marylanders for Better Beer & Wine Laws. However, there are things that can be done next. Build on the success of growing the non-profit group from 1,500 to 20,000. Aim for a six digit membership. Our state elected officials really can’t seem to help themselves fall victim to misinformation provided by lobbiests. Therefore continue to educate them and if possible, vote them out of office.

Voting politicians out of office may not have a desired result, since they will simply be replaced by other politicians. Therefore consider influencing the liquor wholesalers in the state. You might want to consider boycotting wine shops until a direct shipping bill is passed. Of course this can cause hardship but there are ways around not buying wine locally. Most Maryland residents are within an hour’s drive of a winery. Consider making a day trip to local wineries and stocking up on the wines you like.

Another option is to make your own wine. If you start with a wine kit, you will learn the basic process and end up with about 2 ½ cases of wine. By law, you are permitted to make 100 gallons of wine. You and your spouse can make 200 gallons of wine a year that is about 85 cases of wine. That’s a lot of wine. This is tax free so the state or the federal government will not collect tax on this wine. Do keep in mind that you get what you pay for when it comes to wine kits. The more expensive kits will make a product that you may enjoy better.

If you would like to make a premium wine and don’t have the equipment at home, you won’t have to travel far. There are several winemaking facilities in Maryland, where you can go to make a barrel or tank of wine. Residents in Howard, Montgomery and Carroll counties may wish to make wine at Tin Lizzie Wineworks in Clarksville, Maryland. Winemaker Dave Zuchero will guide you through the basic steps using grapes purchased from several locations including Stagecoach Vineyards in Napa. You will end up with 21 to 23 cases of quality wine that you can actually serve to friends.

You can make a difference. Take action, whether it is educating politicians or making your own tax free premium wines, get involved rather than getting depressed. Remember more thn 30 other states allow direct wine shipping – don’t let Maryland be the last to learn about the direct wine shipping benefits, including more money for the state government.