Response to WA Wine Institute’s Anti-I-1100 Misstatements

Recently, the WA Wine Institute’s views about Initiative 1100 were circulated to our state’s wineries and vineyards and suggested that the proposed new law would be detrimental to the Washington wine industry.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Passage of I-1100 will be the greatest legal development for the Washington wine industry since the repeal of Prohibition. The WWI’s arguments are based on keeping control of the industry in the hands of the established producers and large distributors – not in the hands of the rest of us in the wine business. We at Family Wineries of Washington State find the WWI’s stance counter-productive to free and fair competition – and we lose in the process. The WWI wants to keep existing so called “protections” against credit and discounts that limit the growth of the Washington wine industry and punish wine consumers (our customers) with lower quality, higher prices and poorer selection. Support the public’s right to choose what is best for them over narrow special interests. Vote for wine freedom by voting for I-1100.

And what about Initiative 1105, which is sponsored by two huge out of state distributors?

The WWI is silent about 1105 even though it would send the Washington wine industry back to the dark ages. I- 1105 expands big distributor monopoly power and repeals many of the gains achieved over the past fifty years. Don’t let big distributors and a few wineries that are doing well under the current system foil the best chance we have to free the grapes (and breweries and distilleries) in Washington State from unjust and unfair laws.

Remember, YES on 1100; NO on 1105! Support economic growth and wine consumers instead of special interests.