July 6, 2026 – SCOTUS Refuses to Change Wine Shipping Laws

Health and Education Reporter Loryn Kykendall writes for the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin that Walla Walla Community College is launching a new Wine Industry Sales and Management certificate program beginning this fall. The one-year credential, which requires 45 to 55 credits, is designed to address growing workforce needs in the wine industry and is open to both students new to the field and working professionals seeking to formalize or advance their skills. The program will launch in a hybrid format combining online and in-person instruction, with a planned transition to fully online delivery in its second year. Program Director of Enology and Viticulture Martin Fujishin described the intent plainly: wineries need professionals who understand the business side of operations and can connect with customers, not just the vineyards. From the article:

The Business Council of New York State announced that the New York State Senate Economic Development Committee has advanced legislation to reform the State Liquor Authority’s outdated “public convenience and advantage” standard for liquor store licensing, the first time such legislation has ever cleared the committee. The bill would replace a vague, Prohibition-era threshold that critics say has functioned as a protectionist tool, allowing established competitors to block new retail entrants, with the same “good cause for disapproval” standard already used for bars and restaurants. Paul Zuber of the Business Council called it a major milestone toward bringing New York’s liquor laws into the 21st century. Two additional bills advanced alongside the primary legislation, further chipping away at rules that have gone largely unchanged since 1934.

The Three Laws Being Updated

1. The “Public Convenience and Advantage” Standard Anyone wanting to open a retail wine or spirits store had to prove their business would serve the “public convenience and advantage,” a standard that was never legally defined. In practice, it gave existing nearby competitors the power to formally object and block new applicants, letting established businesses veto their own competition. The new bill shifts the burden to the State Liquor Authority to justify a denial rather than forcing the applicant to justify their existence.
2. Business Credit Cards (S9979) The 1934 law was written before business credit cards existed. As written, alcohol retailers could not purchase inventory using a business credit card, a routine practice in virtually every other retail category. This bill simply legalizes what most small business owners would consider a basic operational necessity.
3. Extended Hours for the FIFA World Cup (S9990) Current law caps operating hours for licensed establishments at fixed times with no flexibility for major international events. This bill grants a temporary exception that allows licensees to stay open later during the FIFA World Cup, enabling New York’s bars, restaurants, and hospitality businesses to fully participate in the expected economic windfall.

Alcohol Law Review reports that the United States Supreme Court has declined to hear challenges to state alcohol retail shipping laws out of both Arizona and Indiana, delivering a decisive win for state three-tier system defenders and a significant loss for advocates of expanded direct-to-consumer wine shipping. The Arizona case centered on whether the state could require alcohol retailers to maintain a physical presence in the state as a condition of doing business there. The Indiana case involved an Illinois retailer’s attempt to ship directly to Indiana consumers without complying with the state’s three-tier distribution requirements. Both cases were framed as dormant Commerce Clause challenges, arguing that state physical presence requirements unconstitutionally discriminate against out-of-state retailers.

The Bottom Line:

W. Blake Gray reports for Wine-Searcher that a push to establish standardized health warning labels on wine and beer through the Codex Alimentarius international food standards body was blocked at a meeting in Ottawa, delivering a setback to what Gray characterizes as the neo-Prohibitionist movement. The effort was formally introduced by Tanzania, with assistance from a coalition of smaller nations and, critically, the World Health Organization. The WHO’s Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030 sets a target of reducing world alcohol consumption by 20%, and defines “harmful use of alcohol” by total per capita consumption, a framing that effectively treats every drink as harmful. Unable to place proposals directly on the Codex agenda, the WHO worked through member states to get alcohol labeling on the table, with Tanzania serving as the vehicle.

Mexico led the opposition, submitting a lengthy and pointed written statement that Gray describes as reading, in spirit, like “hands off our Tequila.” The US, Chile, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and others all raised objections, representing a broad coalition that extended well beyond wine and spirits producing nations.

From the article: