The Maryland wineries need your help – please contact your legislators in Annapolis to let them know you support Maryland wineries and their ability to sell their products to retail stores and restaurants.

Here are some additional talking points:

• Small and new MD wineries rely on the ability to sell and market their wines directly to retail stores and restaurants – a right that we have had for over 50 years.
• Many cannot afford to use a wholesaler – who demands 30-40% discounts on products.
• Others who can afford this discount may not be widely marketable, or have sufficient supply of wine – wholesalers aren't interested in carrying their products.
• Small wineries promote the rural agriculture and are encouraging large plantings of grapes on otherwise developable land.
• Maryland's mandated three-tier system of alcohol beverage distribution amounts to a monopoly – squeezing smaller producers out of the market.
• MANY SMALL MD WINERIES WILL GO OUT OF BUSINESS IF REQUIRED TO USE A DISTRIBUTOR/WHOLESALER.
• Senator "Mac" Middleton (SB812) and Del. Virginia Clagett (HB1122) are sponsoring legislation to support the industry.

Sample Letter
We've prepared a basic letter for you to copy/paste into a letter or e-mail in support of the wineries. PLEASE CUSTOMIZE the letter. Legislators have great disdain for form letters.
SupportWineries.shtml

Find Your Elected Officials
Visit the Maryland State Board of Elections page to obtain names and contact information for your elected officials.
Maryland State Board of Elections Lookup Page
http://www.mdelect.net

E-mail & Fax Elected Officials
If you click the link below, enter you contact information, and click continue – you can send an email and/or fax to all the Maryland Delegates and Senators (or select as many as you would like) in about twominutes. The site lets you write (or cut and paste) your own letter, then personalizes/addresses each fax or email for you. Elected officials appreciate personal letters, not form letters! Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Mike Busch – along with your delegation – need to hear your support for this legislation.
http://www.votervoice.net/

Recent Press
See recent news articles about this issue in our news section.