Q. Can you explain Michigan’s rules for ordering wine shipments?
A. Michigan’s laws governing alcohol sales are labyrinthine. When the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition in 1933, the state set up a three-tier regulatory system: a manufacturing tier, a distribution tier, and a retail tier with fixed minimum prices
To insulate this system from states with other structures, Michigan law bars out-of-state retailers from shipping wine to consumers here. Out-of-state wineries can sell directly, providing they first obtain a license. In May, attorney general Dana Nessel issued a violation order against wine.com for skirting those requirements.
The rules have been updated many times over the years, including a change five years ago to allow home delivery of alcohol from licensed in-state retailers. This includes national retailers with a local presence, such as Amazon. Federal law prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from shipping alcoholic beverages, so deliveries are handled by private companies such as UPS and FedEx.
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