Political wars really do bring out the worst in people, especially in the political class. As the U.S./Canada trade wars go unresolved the number of victims grows, most notably the U.S. Wine and Spirts community is taking a major hit, not so much because of the Canadian consumer but because of the Canadian political class.
Many […]
Laws will take effect in Nevada and California that mandate EFT payments between retailers and wholesalers. Stepping into the electronic age and encouraging the use of technology is a good thing, mandating it is a different story.
In Nevada in May of 2025 and in California in January of 2026, retailers are either going to be […]
In the height of the 2008 Presidential campaign, Michelle Obama made a comment regarding Hillary Clinton that “if you can’t run your own house, you certainly can’t run the White House.”
What brought me back to 2008 was the news of another great debacle with Michigan’s liquor system.
A recent article in Crains Business Grand Rapids reports […]
I am happy to announce that I filed an Amicus Brief in the Sixth Circuit case, Block v. Canepa, which challenges Ohio’s discriminatory wine retailer shipping law.
The brief written on behalf of the National Association of Wine Retailers (NAWR), challenges Sixth Circuit precedent in Lebamoff v. Whitmer, which erroneously performs a Commerce Clause analysis by […]
Provi and RNDC reached a resolution in their multi-year fight over a lawsuit filed by Provi against RNDC. Provi claimed that RNDC’s actions excluding Provi from the marketplace constituted violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
Under the agreement Provi and RNDC agreed to an integration allowing retailers to place orders through Provi’s platform. Retailers will now […]
I am happy to announce that I hit a new milestone today and made my 100th media appearance. I never thought that when I started that I would become the most cited liquor attorney during this time. It has been a great ride with being in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Wine Spectator.
The 100th […]
Francis Creighton, the CEO of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), wrote a piece celebrating the three-tier system called A Stronger Industry Through the Three-Tier System. Ironically, the fruits of the liquor industry he celebrates come in spite of the three-tier system and not because of it. As his blog post goes […]
Spirits wholesalers are being taken to the woodshed by the beer wholesalers. The recent news that RNDC lost key accounts in California was shocking and influenced RNDC’s decision to leave the largest consumer market in the country. Significantly, Reyes Beverage Group (Reyes), the largest beer wholesaler benefited by landing many of these key accounts formerly […]
Will the Real Oregon please stand up
News broke Friday that the Oregon Ethics Commission voted 7-1 to increase former director of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Steve Marks fine from $500 to $1,500. All this stems from the allocation of Pappy Van Winkle bottles for himself and other privileged individuals.
By […]
In early May the news came out that the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (Ethics Commission) rejected a negotiated deal for $500 with former executive director of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), Steve Marks. Under Marks watch an investigation determined that rare bottles of Pappy Van Winkle that were supposed to be available only […]