Illinois veto session legislation

By |2025-10-22T19:32:04+00:00October 20th, 2025|Legislation|

 

Recent Illinois legislation makes significant but not seismic changes to the Illinois liquor code. Under Illinois Senate Bill 618, which will pass in veto session, distillers, brewers and retailers will see enhanced privileges, but Illinois wineries don’t seem to obtain the privileges they were seeking.

Craft distillers

The craft distillers will see enhanced […]

Provi and Southern Settle

By |2025-10-15T06:14:56+00:00October 15th, 2025|Breaking News|

 

Nearly 2.5 months after RNDC reached a settlement with Provi, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern) has decided to finally come to the table.

What made Southern fold their hand and succumb to defeat is subject to speculation?

Provi and Southern reached a resolution in their multi-year fight over a lawsuit filed by Provi against Southern. Provi […]

Nebraska and lessons to be learned

By |2025-10-07T22:06:50+00:00October 7th, 2025|Liquor Industry Insights|

 

To say I was shocked to hear about the indictment against former Executive Director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, Hobert Rupe, is an understatement. It is alleged that Mr. Rupe took bribes from a Lincoln, Nebraska strip club in the form of free cover charge, free drinks, and sexual acts. From the allegations, it […]

New bribery case shows the three-tier system is not working

By |2025-10-01T02:10:00+00:00October 1st, 2025|Liquor Industry Insights|

 

Another case has come forth of bribery occurring at a major supermarket chain with a large winery and a large wholesaler alleged to be involved. We can rinse and repeat as these stories repeat themselves time and time again.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the main buyer for Albertsons took bribes from a large supplier […]

Twenty-first Amendment & the Hemp Legal Challenge

By |2025-09-24T15:23:34+00:00September 24th, 2025|Liquor Case Discussion|

 

A new lawsuit filed against Tennessee’s law that requires hemp derived products go through a three-tier system, similar to liquor, will test the wholesaler led march to dominate and take over the hemp industry.

Hemp infused beverages are a fast-growing industry and WSWA wants to corner the market through government mandates forcing hemp producers to […]

Arizona wine shipping cases and the per se war

By |2025-09-11T01:24:19+00:00September 11th, 2025|Liquor Case Discussion|

Important takeaway

Judge Forrest writes a very forceful and clear dissent, where she crystalizes how the majority and other circuits have taken the Granholm and Tennessee Wine standards which require a showing of concrete evidence standard, and the employing of reasonable nondiscriminatory alternatives, and replaced it with the three-tier system being a […]

Trump does not put the American Liquor Industry First

By |2025-09-01T23:17:35+00:00September 1st, 2025|Liquor Industry Insights|

 

Much of President Trump’s appeal with the populous is based on his America first vision. He invokes this vision when discussing tariffs on foreign products and exercising a non-interventionist foreign policy.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the liquor industry and opening up markets and enhancing competition, the President has abandoned an America first policy.

Last week the […]

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