How to Choose Wine & Who Can Sell Wine

Select Wine For You
What type of wine you purchase is a personal decision, but it is suggested to choose based on price, preference, and pairings. Price is the first suggested factor. Even with sophisticated tastes, you can find a quality bottle of wine for a relatively inexpensive price. Preference boils down to what you would like to taste, or what the people you are serving would enjoy tasting. Select wine based on your audience so you know how much boldness, richness, and overall taste they can handle. If you are looking for a bottle of wine to drink at a specific meal, keep the ingredients and components of the food in mind while you’re shopping. Knowing if the food is salty, creamy, spicy or dry will all help you select wine properly for the occasion.

Where to Buy Alcohol
In the United States, anyone who is at least 21 years old can buy alcohol. Where you must go to buy that alcohol, however, depends on the specific state’s laws. The country has a three-tier system of how to buy and sell wine, which says the process must flow from producers to distributors and finally, to retailers. In this three-tier system there are some exceptions.

• Microbreweries may be allowed to produce and distribute. Some wineries may sell wine as well. That means you can buy alcohol directly from the source that created it.
• Wineries are allowed to sell wine directly to customers in other states. This intrastate practice is strictly forbidden in 14 states.

In addition, some states have certain restrictions on what type of retailers are permitted to sell wine. For example, 35 states either ban or restrict sale of wine in grocery stores. 14 states don’t allow food stores to sell wine. To know for certain where you must go to buy alcohol, find out the specific restrictions of your state laws.