DELAWARE - Delawareans are awaiting potential changes in the state's alcohol sales laws that might bring the convenience of online wine shopping and home delivery of alcoholic beverages to their doorsteps. Currently, Delaware remains among the few states in the U.S. where direct shipment of wine to consumers is prohibited.
According to a spokesperson of the Delaware State House of Representatives Republican Caucus, 98 percent of Americans can enjoy the ease of having wine shipped to their homes, while Delawareans are restricted due to existing regulations. The state, along with Utah and Mississippi, maintains laws that block any form of direct wine shipments to consumers.
Current regulations necessitate Delaware residents seeking specific wines not stocked in local stores to navigate a process dating back 90 years to the Prohibition era. All sales of alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, operate through a three-tier system involving distributors, wholesalers and retailers.
However, a bipartisan initiative led by State Rep. Mike Smith (R-Pike Creek Valley) seeks to modernize these laws. House Bill 262, if passed, would enable direct-to-consumer wine sales under specified conditions.
Some of these conditions include:
- Carriers obtaining special licenses for handling wine shipments
- Labeling requirements
- State licensing for wineries shipping to Delaware
- Restrict deliveries to adults over the age of 21, who must sign packages
- Limit households to no more than three cases of wine per year
“This is a niche market,” Rep. Smith said. “The nation’s top 50 largest wineries produce more than 90 percent of American wine, but there are more than 11,000 wineries in the U.S., the vast majority of which are small businesses."
House Bill 262 is currently pending action in the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee, alongside another proposed legislation, House Bill 259, introduced by State Rep. Jeff Spiegelman (R-Townsend-Clayton).
This second bill seeks broader modernization, allowing farm breweries, microbreweries, and craft distilleries to conduct direct sales of various alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, spirits, mead, and hard cider.
Additionally, House Bill 259 proposes enabling Delaware liquor stores to offer home deliveries, subject to stringent licensing, training for delivery personnel, and age verification for recipients.
According to the spokesperson, a survey commissioned by the Delaware Wineries Association and conducted by the University of Delaware found that more than 85 percent of Delawareans support direct-to-consumer sales for alcoholic beverages.
"Delawareans can already have all manner of goods shipped directly to their homes, including sensitive items, like prescription drugs,” Rep. Spiegelman said. “What these measures propose would not place Delaware on the cutting edge, but largely just bring us up to speed with what’s already in practice elsewhere."
“DTC and home delivery provide greater consumer convenience, with the latter also potentially improving safety on our roads. Allowing someone who may have already been drinking to order a beverage delivery is preferable to having them get behind the wheel.”
Eric Camper at Big Oyster Brewery says customers always ask if their product can be shipped- only to be disappointed when they are told it cannot.
"It would be neat to see our beer in other states," he said. "People tag us all the time when they buy the beer and they take it out to a friend in California and tag us on all the social media. So I think I'd be pretty cool."
House Bill 262 and House Bill 259 are expected to undergo hearings when the 152nd General Assembly reconvenes in early January.
For more information, visit the Delaware State House of Representatives Republican Caucus YouTube page.
