And you are here why?

Its true! Its true! via Sheldon

Phil Howard et al. released a study on the wines available for sale in Michigan (yes, I want his job!).  I know, I know, " Michigan? " etc., etc., but go read the synopsis here - its pretty valid for most of the U.S. Highlights include Just three firms, however, account for more than half of the wine sales in the United States The vast majority of varieties were [extremely uncommon], with 72.8% recorded in only one store, and 87% in two or fewer stores The top firms contribute to an illusion of diverse ownership by offering dozens of brands (and hundreds of varieties), many of which do not clearly indicate the parent company on their label Even company websites may not make ownership apparent. To give just one example, “Octavin Home Wine Bar” is in smaller print on a number of boxed wine brands, including Silver Birch (New Zealand), Pinot Evil (France) and Herding Cats (South Africa). If you go to the Octavin website you’ll see it is a trademark of Underdog Wine ...

Herewith a map showing where one can ship wine legally (Thanks to SpecialtyWineRetailers ). Do you see what I see? Yup.  Three states - California, DC, and Alaska - thats it.  And even there its tricky - California technically a "Reciprocal" state, but they have a policy of non-enforcement. The next map shows all the states where you can not ship wine legally  Pretty nifty, isn't it?  Basically most of the rest of the states.  The remaining ones are Reciprocal states - "You can ship to me if I can ship to you", and Permit states - "Follow my rules. All of them. And yes, you may as well abandon hope while you are at it". To put it all together, we have this Of course, you know the reason for this, right? Section 2 of the 21st Amendment , that sez. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is he...

Woohoo, an all new wine!  From Hampi! W00t! "Hampi?"  "What, I say, What is Hampi?" (obligatory age-inappropriate continuation deleted) Hampi is the historic capital of the Vijayanagara empire - its huge, spectacular, was around 60 square miles in size, at its peak had around half a million people, and most importantly, was the site of the first annual Paolini-Subramanya Experience India(!)  tour (12 people, the resplendent Lindsay, and a wheelchair). Great time, no end of Gratuitous History everywhere (people living in or next to 1400 year old temples, random stuff, blah, blah, blah). "Great" you say.  "Great, but what on earth does this have to do with Hampi?" I'm glad you asked.   We got back from the weeklong trip, and dying for a glass of wine (No!  Never!) i swing by a wine store and see am pushed aggresively towards a bottle of Kinvah Shiraz (more on this in the future).  Not Sulu.  Not Grover.  Not even ND Wine.  Kinvah. And - shock ...