New Consumer Group Advocates Full Access To Wine

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 21, 2009 3:20PM

When HB 429, the state wine shipping law supported by the liquor industry with $3.5 million in campaign contributions to its political sponsors, went into law last year (see previous Chicagoist coverage of HB 429 here, here, here and here), it effectively reduced the access of Illinois wine consumers to wine by prohibiting the sale to us from out-of-state retailers, although in-state retailers can still ship out-of-state.

HB 429 — and its companion legislation SB 123 — also curtailed the ability of Illinois' larger wineries and vineyards to self-distribute. Prior to the passage of HB 429, Illinois was a "reciprocal state," with equal access to wine both in and out of state.

The Illinois Wine Consumer Coalition is a newly formed group whose mission is to "put the wine consumer first and to help restore your access to the wines you want." In short, full reciprocity. In their efforts to roll back HB 429, they've set up a membership page for concerned consumers interested in restoring full access to wine in and out of state to Illinois wine drinkers. You can sign up here.