Law Allows Wineries To Ship Wine Directly To NJ Homes

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed legislation permitting local and small out-of-state wineries to ship wine directly to the homes of New Jersey consumers.

Many liquor stores fought the law because they feared it would hurt business. But local wineries backed the measure, saying it would give a boost to the state's wine industry.

“This law balances the modern needs of our wine industry with the need of liquor stores and distributors and positions both for even more economic, job-creating success,” John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem) said in a news release. 

Burzichelli sponsored the legislation along with John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Celeste Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). 

Montclair resident Susan Weeden, who recently began making and marketing her own premium , said she's thrilled about the new law.

"Only a fraction of wines make it to the consumer in states where direct shipping from wineries is illegal," she said. "In those states, it's the distributors who decide what to make available to the consumer in wine stores, bars, and restaurants.

"If they didn't make it available to us, we couldn't get it. Now wine lovers in New Jersey will have much more choice," she added. "This opens up the market to boutique wineries that never got distribution in New Jersey. We are very happy that we will soon be able to ship Bomb from the winery to our customers in the Garden State." 

The bill, A-4436, was passed by the state Assembly in a 51-18-4 vote.

Customers can have up to 12 cases of wine per year shipped to them for personal consumption from a winery that produces 250,000 gallons of wine or less annually, according to the legislation.

The law also lets small wineries open up to 16 New Jersey retail outlets.

“This law is good news for consumers and businesses alike,” Wisniewski said in a news release. “It’s a carefully crafted plan that ensures our wine industry can become a key economic engine for our state while protecting the local liquor stores and the many jobs they provide our state. It’s a long overdue plan to modernize our laws to meet the reality of how consumers now shop.”