DOVER, Del. - As the new year begins, Delaware lawmakers are gearing up to introduce legislation that could reshape alcohol delivery in the state. A bill focused on wine shipments is expected to be presented during the 153rd General Assembly.
Currently, Delaware operates under a three-tier system for alcohol sales, involving distributors, wholesalers and retailers. While delivery services have become commonplace for many products, the First State remains one of the few that prohibits the direct shipment of wine to consumers.
The proposed legislation would allow Delaware residents to order wine directly from wineries and have it delivered to their homes via carriers like UPS or FedEx. However, this bill would not permit online retail sales. Only limited sales directly from wineries would be allowed, and both the wineries and carriers would be required to obtain state licenses.
Efforts to allow direct-to-consumer wine shipments in Delaware have been introduced repeatedly over the past 15 years but have faced significant opposition. Critics argue that allowing these sales could harm retail businesses by cutting into their revenue.