New York, Connecticut allow shipments in

The governors of New York and Connecticut have signed revolutionary legislation that opens their states to shipments of wine from outside.

Vintners in both states expect increased business because they can soon ship wines to reciprocating states.

After signing the legislation at a Finger Lakes region winery, Governor George E Pataki said, ‘It is really the next important step for New York wineries to continue to grow.’

With 219 producers, New York ranks fourth behind Oregon. Connecticut has about 17 wineries.

Both laws stem from the US Supreme Court’s ruling in May that states cannot allow their own vintners to ship inside the state but prevent outside vintners from doing so. Everybody ships, or nobody does, the court declared.

Rhode Island’s four wine producers expect the governor to veto a bill that would stop them from delivering wine inside the state.

Pataki, a moderate Republican, indicated today that he may seek the Republican nomination for president.

Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York