Massachusetts wine consumers were the winners in a court ruling by Judge Rya Zobel that allows wineries of all production sizes to ship directly to adult residents. The decision in Family Winemakers of California v. Jenkins enjoined the state from enforcing its law that prohibits wineries producing more than 30,000 gallons from shipping if they have wholesaler agreements. “Consumers and wineries have waited a long two years for this day,” said Jim Gullett, chair of Family Winemakers of California (FWC) and owner of Vino Noceto in Plymouth, California. “This was a long, thorough and expensive process, but we’re gratified the court acknowledges that post-Granholm discriminatory laws like production caps cannot pass legal muster.”

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Judge Rya W. Zobel has freed the grapes - in Massachusetts at least. On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court judge ruled that a state law allowing wineries to engage in direct shipment of wine to Massachusetts residents only if said wineries produce less than 30,000 gallons per year or sold fruit wine, rather than grape wine, is unconstitutional.

The decision is a blow to wholesalers in the state, who since the repeal of Prohibition have enjoyed acting as government-mandated middleman in all transactions involving the sale of alcoholic beverages. The ruling will either give Massachusetts’ consumers free access to any winery willing to ship directly to them, or drive legislators determined to preserve the interests of wholesalers back to the statutory drawing board.

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