Decanter World Wine AwardsItalian winery sues US state
- Thursday 29 June 2006
Villa Monteleone wants a judge in Sangamon County to overturn a state law that allows Illinois winemakers to sell directly to consumers, while out-of-state vineyards must go through distributors.
‘This self-distribution privilege constitutes pure economic protectionism; there is no rational basis for the different treatment of Illinois and non-Illinois wineries,’ said the Verona-based company.
Some in the wine industry believe Villa Monteleone may have a point.
‘Quite logically it has to be seen as a protectionist thing,’ said Mike Rogers of London wine merchants Philglas and Swiggott, ‘it’s barely about protecting minors. In an open-market capitalist country like the US, the conflict at state level is obvious.’
The Italian winery claims state law puts it at an economic disadvantage.
‘This means that its products cost more than products from licensed Illinois winemakers,’ said lawyers for Villa Monteleone.
Despite this, Illinois winemakers, who make 2m litres of the 94m litres of wine consumed annually in the state, are behind the current legislation.
‘Some foreign company from Italy is going to tell the state of Illinois what's unconstitutional and kill an industry,’ Barrett Rochman of Blue Sky Vineyards in Southern Illinois told local newspaper Southern. ‘Whoever is doing this would be better served by sitting down with the Illinois wine people and fashion something that doesn't put them out of business.’
The Illinois Liquor Control Commission is still reviewing the lawsuit.
Have your say!
Cookie
March 11 21:47
For me this is more about a steadily svivapree attitude than a consumption rate or share. You make many strong points, not least that the needle is hardly going to be moved as a result of a couple of hundred enthusiasts forgoing Raveneau in favour of Bindi or Oakridge. However, there is an important underlying issue here the level to which a French orthodoxy is unquestioningly revered by our own winemaking community. This is in itself a sort of unchallenged directive ever wonder why anything Australian that is complex, textural and fine is only ever described as Burgundian'..? Like Pannell, I have lived and worked in France, Italy and Spain, and will certainly continue to celebrate and share those wines. I just think that January will compel not convict or condemn me to look at local options and I am confident that I will find that liberating rather than restrictive. Above all, thanks very much for adding to the debate I find it interesting and am always happy to be challenged!