Now the downside. Don't try to ship yourself a case of the merlot you loved at that Washington State winery. Not if you want to send it to Massachusetts. According to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, transporting includes not only commercial carriers, but also the odd bottles carried into the state in suitcases or in trunks of cars. Of these 30 states, seven, though not Massachusetts, make such shipments a felony and at least ten others are considering enacting felony laws.
Wineries sell to wholesalers who sell to retailers.
From there the wines become available for purchase by consumers. It is not economically profitable for wholesalers to handle such small amounts of wines. Thus, for most of these wineries, on-site and Internet sale from wineries direct to consumers is their lifeblood. It is also the only way in which we consumers can sip the fruits of their labor. The rationale for prohibiting direct sale of wine comes from the 21st Amendment of the Constitution, which repealed Prohibition.