Earlier this year Maryland enacted SB858 Maryland Winery Modernization Act of 2010. This required the Office of the Comptroller to study and report on the status of direct wine shipping in the 37 states that make it available for consumers.

The report was released yesterday several days early. According to Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, in a press release, “The report finds no evidence of increased underage access, no problems collecting taxes and no increase in alcohol abuse in any of the jurisdictions that allow direct shipping.”

The report is available as a PDF at http://www.marylandtaxes.com/DWS_Complete.pdf.

This is great news for Maryland wine consumers. It seems evident that there are no valid reasons for the Maryland state legislature to withhold passing direct wine shipping legislation for Maryland consumers.

Everyone needs to keep sending emails and letters to their Maryland state legislators to keep this issue on the front burner. Maryland consumers should be able to benefit from direct wine shipping in 2011 just as consumers in 37 states plus the District of Columbia already do.

Cheers,

Kathy