First it was books, then housewares and groceries. Now Internet giant Amazon.com is gearing up to sell wine starting in October. If you're already a wine wonk, you probably have your own favorite Internet sites that sell the bottles you covet most. But for the majority of Internet shoppers who like wine but aren't total geeks, the announcement is pretty big news.
But before you start ordering cases of vino, figure out if your state even allows direct shipping (not all states do). If your state qualifies and you sign up for Amazon Prime ($79/year) you'll get free shipping. Pretty sweet deal, huh?
The next question is what kinds of wine will be for sale. Amazon is pretty close-lipped at the moment, as are the Napa Valley Vintners, who are putting on seminars to teach wineries how to sell through Amazon, but it seems that the selection might go beyond Yellow Tail-type wines and actually include some smaller boutique producers. That's good for the producers, and good for us.
One thing is for sure: the "big three" regions of California, Oregon, and Washington won't monopolize the market. Amazon says they'll offer wines from all over the U.S. Now that every single state has at least one commercial winery, a whole new wine experience will be available with the click of the mouse.
So would you buy wine from Amazon.com or keep to your friendly neighborhood shop?
