See this site to explain the American "system"



http://www.freethegrapes.com/



The good news is that a combination of consumer oriented legislators & court
decisions have allowed enlightened states to have some form of direct
shipping,



The bad news is that some large wine enterprises are $upporting Free the
Grapes, so they can sell direct to stores & restaurants not through
wholesalers.

The lobbyists for wholesalers spread the good cheer around and convince
State legislators that selling direct to accounts or even consumers is
Un-American and would lead to underage drinking.

In some States, the huge nationally/regionally based wholesalers make it
difficult for an independent firm to compete with them. Sometimes the
independents are tolerated, in others the threat of business and in some
cases life intervention are possibilities. The more enlightened wholesalers
have ceased intimidation but have raided independents to secure wines made
popular by one of these small independents.

It should be noted that when the loosely enforced 19th amendment was
repealed, the former suppliers incorporated as importers and wholesalers-It
was de$ided that their would be no national system, and so it was up to each
State to allow the pimping of legislators. Stories are numerous such as
Ambassador Joe Kennedy's making sure even in the London Blitz and the run-up
to WW II, that his company had a constant supply of Scotch stateside.

Local enforcement was lax and the fabled FBI disregarded any venture headed
by former bootleggers. The FBI did supply Franklin Roosevelt with Mr.
Kennedy's use of his post to further enrich himself. Joe K came back to the
US to campaign against Roosevelt being avidly pro-German and against
stopping the Hitlerian set of instruments of annihilation. I believe he was
making a courtesy call on FDR when the President let Joe Kennedy know he
(FDR) knew of his business dealings. A day or so later Kennedy bought
airtime to announce his endorsement of Roosevelt's third term. FDR never
spoke to Herr Kennedy again and kept him out of any government job, dashing
Joe's dream of being the 1st catholic President. As you all know, it was in
all the papers, Joe's son Jack was given almost three years to do the rosary
in the Oval Office.......

Enough history, Merry XMAS to all.

Joe Rosenberg
"Where's the Jim Crow Section of this merry go round. I can't find the
back.." the Late Fred Neil