National Association of Wine Retailers Supports Distiller DTC Shipping
October 24, 2025 (Sacramento, CA) — With the passage of California Assembly Bill 1246, residents of the Golden State will continue to be allowed to receive direct shipments of spirits from in-state and out-of-state distillers at least for another year. The National Association of Wine Retailers (NAWR) applauds this legislation for the simple reason that it provides consumers with greater access to the legal products they demand—the core principle animating NAWR’s mission.
Meanwhile, according to a statement offered to The Drinks Business, the powerful Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of America (WSWA) opposes this bill, along with consumers’ ability to obtain any products the association’s members do not first mark up and take a slice of the profits for themselves. More important than WSWA’s cries for protection from competition is its call for legislators not to make the spirits shipping privilege permanent.
Crying Wolf and Fear Mongering by Opponents of Consumer Choice
According to Chelsea Crucitti, the WSWA’s vice-president of state affairs, “WSWA strongly opposes the passage of AB 1246 because it weakens California’s proven three-tier alcohol system that protects consumers, ensures efficient tax collection, and keeps beverage alcohol out of minors’ hands.”
In the wake of these kinds of claims, NAWR would remind lawmakers and the alcohol beverage industry of the following:
- In-state and out-of-state wineries have long shipped directly to California consumers while efficiently collecting and remitting taxes, as well as assuring minors don’t obtain wine.
- In-state and out-of-state retailers have long been allowed to ship wine directly to California consumers while assuring taxes are efficiently collected and remitted, and assuring minors don’t obtain wine.
NAWR understands that successful and well-tested protocols have long been in place in California and most other states that provide for the safe direct shipment of alcohol, remittance of taxes, and protection against minors obtaining alcohol.
“Middleman wholesalers and their trade associations have long cried wolf when bills to expand consumer access to rare and small production alcohol products have been introduced by lawmakers,” notes Tom Wark, executive director of NAWR. “Scare tactics and fear mongering are no way to inform the public, and they certainly should not be used as a ploy to protect the margins of giant corporations.”
The new law allowing direct interstate shipment of spirits to Californians remains in place until January 1, 2027, when the privilege will expire. The National Association of Wine Retailers will support not only extending the law at that time but also advocating for its permanency.
