A federal court ruling could impact how Ohioans buy wine

[00:00:00]Ohio wine drinkers have scored a victory in federal court. Judges struck down Ohio's law restricting the sale of wine from out-of-state retailers directly to consumers, calling that unconstitutional.

[00:00:13]>> 10TV's Kevin Landers explains what this case could mean the next time you buy a bottle.

[00:00:17]Six bottles of wine. That's all Ohioans are allowed to bring in the state from out of state. But this lawsuit could soon change that and a lot more.

[00:00:29]>> Yes, we have some Pinot Grigios here.

[00:00:31]>> Donnie Austin is the owner of Aardvark Wines.

[00:00:33]>> Yeah, there's a story behind every bottle in here.

[00:00:35]>> And the story about the legal sale of wines in Ohio is about to change.

[00:00:41]>> I prefer an open market cuz as a consumer myself, I want to be able to buy what I want from the people who sell it or or or make it.

[00:00:49]>> But that's not the case in Ohio, according to the president of the National Association of Wine Retailers.

[00:00:55]>> In Ohio, it's legal to have wine shipped to you from an out-of-state winery.

[00:01:01]That's legal. Any state any winery in any state in the country can get a permit from Ohio to ship wine directly to you. But for some reason, Ohio wants to make it illegal for you to receive shipment from an out-of-state wine store.

[00:01:14]>> This lawsuit could change that. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals found Ohio's law on the sale of out-of-state wine was unconstitutional despite the state's argument that it has the power to regulate alcohol within its borders under the 21st Amendment. The state's loss was a victory for wine drinkers.

[00:01:31]>> I think people should be able to buy what they want.

[00:01:33]>> It could be a very very big deal to Ohio consumers who love wine simply because they're going to have significantly more access.

[00:01:41]>> As for when Ohio must change the law, the state has an option to appeal to the US Supreme Court. If it chooses not to, it would be forced to change its wine law. Kevin Landers, 10TV News.

[00:01:52]>> Now, under Ohio law, you are prohibited from transporting more than six bottles of wine bought outside of the state per month. But Ohio consumers can transport up to 24 cases within state lines as long as it comes from an Ohio retailer.