Oregon Wine

Even nearing on 80 years following the end of prohibition, the ghosts of the "Noble Experiment," as some call it, continue to haunt both wine and beer lovers to this day. Following the repeal of the American prohibition on alcohol, the different states began to hammer out their own laws concerning the shipping of alcohol, both inside and outside of the state. While this move was undoubtedly a victory for states rights, it has not worked out so well for wine enthusiasts.

The lack of a uniform wine shipping law across the countries has lead to a confounding variety of laws. Some states still abide to very restrictive shipping policies, including restrictions on shipping wine within or into the state. Other states prefer to simply limit the quantity of wine that can be shipped from a winery to a customer over a period of time, usually a year, some states limiting consumers to 5 or less cases per year. Still other states place special taxes on wine shipments to consumers both in and out of state.

Considering all these possible and stringent restrictions on wine shipping, many consider the state of Oregon to be among states with the most relaxed laws in the union. Perhaps such liberal wine shipping regulations are due to the fact that Oregon's Willamette Valley is such a prolific wine-growing region. Regardless of the why, just as interestingly is the how.

Oregon residents were not always as lucky as they are now. Prior to a 2007 law, Oregon law only allowed out of state wineries to send wine to Oregon residents if Oregon wineries enjoyed similar privileges in the other wineries’ respective home state. Confused? Well you wouldn't be alone. These reciprocity shipping laws are somewhat common among states, mostly to ensure equal trading opportunities between states, but has begun to largely fall out of favor, as Oregon's recent change suggests.

With the new law in effect, wineries in states with less favorable shipping laws can still ship to Oregon so long as they apply for a permit from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. This new law has allowed Oregon residents to enjoy a number of wines previously unavailable to them short of a jaunt to the winery itself. Each winery is permitted to ship up to two 9-liter cases to an individual resident per month, which can add up to a maximum of 216-liters of wine from any given winery per year.

The other great boon of Oregon wine laws is the lack of a wine sales tax. This in and of itself is nothing short of miraculous, as states across the country are looking at various "sin" or "luxury" taxes to increase revenue. The only other major stipulation is that shipping companies are obligated to only deliver the wine upon receipt of a signature of someone 21 or older. So as long as you can be at your door when the delivery arrives and you are ordering everything legally, getting your wine in Oregon is easier than ever.