Massachusetts Wine Shipping News

FYI

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081201/NEWS/812010304/-1/NEWS01

Tom T.

[David M. Bueker]

A good first step, but it's not over until the fat wallets sing.

Can people in Massachusetts receive shipments from retailers in other states?

[David M. Bueker]

Can people in Massachusetts receive shipments from retailers in other states?

No, but some friendly people in Connecticut can.

No, but some friendly people in Connecticut can.

Nice to hear about the friendly people in Connecticut but otherwise that sounds like quite an annoying legal system!

I've never really followed the debates about wine shipping because I've always purchased from local retailers but now I'm starting to get outraged like the rest of you!

[David M. Bueker]

I've never really followed the debates about wine shipping because I've always purchased from local retailers but now I'm starting to get outraged like the rest of you!

Well 2005 Pepiere Granite de Clisson was available locally until I cleaned it out, so things are not all bad.

Well 2005 Pepiere Granite de Clisson was available locally until I cleaned it out, so things are not all bad.

Nice. And from my initial perusing of Table and Vine they seem to have very competitive prices. Which is nice.

[David M. Bueker]

Well 2005 Pepiere Granite de Clisson was available locally until I cleaned it out, so things are not all bad.

Nice. And from my initial perusing of Table and Vine they seem to have very competitive prices. Which is nice.

And no sales tax (so far...MA state budget doldrums have me worried).

And no sales tax (so far...MA state budget doldrums have me worried).

The tax is paid by the wholesaler and so I think its fair to say that its already built into the price.

Tom

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Businesses&L2=Help+%26+Resources&L3=Legal+Library&L4=Administrative+Procedures&sid=Ador&b=terminalcontent&f=dor_rul_reg_adminprocedure_ap115&csid=Ador

I think that in Massachusetts wine is classed as a foodstuff and so it isn't subject to sales and use tax. There is an excise tax on it, however, which, as has been pointed out, is paid at the wholesale level.

Traditionally, the Massachusetts state legislature and the state Alcoholic Beverages Commission have been firmly in the pockets of the wholesalers. The three-tier system is strictly enforced. Ironically, consumers in New Hampshire (where booze is a state monopoly) CAN get direct shipment, as long as the shipping winery arranges to pay the state excise tax.

-Paul W.

I think that in Massachusetts wine is classed as a foodstuff and so it isn't subject to sales and use tax. There is an excise tax on it, however, which, as has been pointed out, is paid at the wholesale level.

All of this makes those Table and Vine prices even more impressive!

The problem is still getting FedEx and UPS to ship to Mass. Neither will do it right now, although I do understand some folks have been having success getting FedEx Ground to ship into MA - FedEx Ground, as most of us know, is a separate entity from FedEx Express. DHL was delivering, but DHL has announced they will no longer play in the US shipping game. They'll still ship US to foreign destinations, just not domestic shipping (US to US).

There is a very good reason why FedEx and UPS won't ship wine to Massachusetts destinations from out of state.

It's blatantly illegal (by state law), and the Massachusetts authorities actively go after any common carrier who gets caught trying to do it.

The state laws may not be constitutional (as pointed out by this thread, this is being litigated in the federal court system), but one can't blame the common carriers for being unwilling to get involved.

-Paul W.

One of the best if not the best sites to check state shipping laws is: http://www.wineinstitute.org

Great site, updated regularly.

[David M. Bueker]

Apparently FedEx Ground has managed to get the license to carry/deliver wine in Massachusetts (info heard elsewhere).