HELENA, Mont. — To have his favorite wine shipped directly from a California winery, Montanan Gerard Lemieux wanted to make sure that he did everything legally. The law, he knew, could be as twisted as an old grapevine.
Montana regulators said he needed a special state permit -- a "connoisseur's license" -- to have wine shipped directly to his home. Lemieux never claimed to be a connoisseur, but he shrugged it off and paid the $50.
Then the state said he would also need to keep track of every purchase. Give special shipping labels to the wineries. Send more paperwork to regulators. File a state tax return every six months.
He did it all. But in the end, it was such a hassle that Lemieux threw up his hands in disgust. The next time he wants a few bottles from his favorite winery, he says, he's driving to Napa, filling the trunk of his car and hauling it back himself.
"There's nothing saying we can't do that," Lemieux said. "And in the end, it's easier."
The experience of Lemieux, a retired United Parcel Service worker from Missoula and one of just 10 Montanans holding a state connoisseur's license, is not uncommon for finicky wine lovers who want a broader selection than that available at the local store.
All states have laws to control the sale and shipment of alcohol to ensure that they can collect alcohol taxes and prevent sales to minors.
In recent years, however, the wine industry has persuaded some states to make exceptions for wine, arguing that minors aren't likely to try ordering fine merlots or chardonnays to get a buzz.
What has resulted is a confusing array of state rules and regulations that has often left wineries and wine lovers befuddled.
Thirteen states have reciprocal agreements that allow residents in one state to order wine from another, as long as the other state allows the same.
Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., allow wine shipments, but under tight limits or restrictions.
Like Montana's law, many of the rules are so cumbersome, confusing or ambiguous that critics say wineries and even shipping companies like UPS won't ship to those states. Alaska, for instance, allows the direct shipment of a "reasonable" amount of wine, but never defines reasonable.
Wholesalers, who stand to lose business to direct sales, have resisted any move to exempt wine from state alcohol rules.
