Free the Grapes! is a national grassroots coalition dedicated to ensuring consumer choice in wine. We advocate for the removal of bans and restrictions in states that prevent consumers from purchasing wines directly from wineries. Our goal is to empower wine lovers to have access to the wines they want and choose how they purchase them.

We believe in augmenting, rather than replacing, the three-tier system with limited, regulated direct-to-consumer shipments. This means that consumers should have the option to receive wines directly from wineries through common carriers like FedEx or UPS. Currently, the majority of U.

S. states enable winery-to-consumer shipping and support consumer choice in wine. However, some wholesaler middlemen are actively seeking to maintain state-sanctioned monopolies, hindering free and fair trade.

Free the Grapes! believes that wholesalers should compete based on service and value, rather than creating laws and restrictions that limit consumer choice. Established in June 1998, Free the Grapes! is a non-profit trade association funded by contributions from wineries and income generated by the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium. We were founded by five wine industry associations, including the Coalition for Free Trade, the Family Winemakers of California, the Napa Valley Vintners, WineAmerica, and the Wine Institute.

Together, we have played a significant role in legalizing and expanding direct-to-consumer wine shipments, advocating for the rights and interests of wineries and wine lovers across the nation. Join us in our mission to ensure consumer choice in wine by signing up for our newsletter and taking action today