Illinois wine industry pushes to change Prohibition-era distribution law
The Illinois wine industry, a small but growing network of boutique wineries and vineyards dotting the state, is looking for a little more shelf space at your local retailer. Struggling during the pandemic with a business model built mostly on tours, tastings and in-person sales, Illinois wine producers are pushing for legislation to increase self-distribution to stores and restaurants, ...
by Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune
Mar 01, 2022
4 minutes
The Illinois wine industry, a small but growing network of boutique wineries and vineyards dotting the state, is looking for a little more shelf space at your local retailer.
Struggling during the pandemic with a business model built mostly on tours, tastings and in-person sales, Illinois wine producers are pushing for legislation to increase self-distribution to stores and restaurants, bypassing a Prohibition-era state law requiring a middleman in such transactions.
Lynfred Winery in Roselle, a 43-year-old former basement hobby that has grown into one of the state’s oldest and largest family-owned wine producers, saw its sales decline sharply as visits by its 6,000 wine club members to
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