• Barry Sutton Appointed New Chairman of the UK Wine & Spirit Trade Association
• Jan-Bart Derksen to Replace Mark Emerson on the IWCA Committee
• New York State Allows Direct Shipping of Wine, While Michigan Seems Set to Go the Opposite Route
• Alcohol Abuse Sets Costs Rising in Sweden
• Quote for the Week

Comments and feed back will be welcomed as will links to other sites and news venues. IWCA membership is open to wine marketers specialising in distance selling and associate membership is available to other parties involved in the direct marketing industry.

Barry Sutton

Contact for further information: Barry Sutton, Executive Secretary, Tel +44 (0) 1923 210508, Fax +44 (0) 1923 210508
E mail : info@internationalwineclubs.com

Barry Sutton, the Executive Secretary of the IWCA, was elected Chairman of the new look UK Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA). The Association represents the wine and spirit trade in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This appointment follows the restructuring of the then Wine & Sprits Association (WSA) by a Working Group chaired by Barry Sutton. We are certain that all IWCA members will wish Barry the very best for this new challenge.

Following the recent Supreme Court decision of May 16th on direct shipping of wine in the United States, New York State Legislators have drafted a bill on June 24th to allow the direct shipment of in and out-of-state wines to New York customers.

This effectively opens up what is the second largest market for wine consumption in the US. The legislation does limit the customer to 3 cases of wine per month and photo ID must be presented upon delivery, so as to discourage underage drinking. Cases must have a label stating: “Contains wine – signature of person 21 or older required for delivery – not for resale” and wineries will need to obtain a relevant license to ship.

In Michigan, it’s another story however. Here the state seems set to ban shipments from both in and out of state wineries and a Bill to that effect has been drawn up. This complies with the original Supreme Court ruling which does allow for either option (allowing or banning all shipments provided both in and out of state shippers are treated equally). Local wine makers are concerned that such a move could spell the end of their industry as they would be obliged to sell their wines through licensed wholesalers, which would make the product too expensive.

It is difficult to enjoy a good wine in a bad glass.

Evelyn Waugh, Wine in Peace and War, quoted in The Essential Wine Buff, edited by Jennifer Taylor, 1996.Bacchus, n.