SWRA - SPECIALTY WINE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

The SWRA "Wall of Shame" seeks to highlight those the words and ideas of people who, as a result of having no shame, are willing to compromise truth, consumer rights, the health of the wine industry and the law...all to protect their own financial and personal interests.
"What is so sacrosanct about wine? You can get drunk on a bottle of wine just as easily as scotch or vodka." Bruce C. Bereano, Licensed Beverage Distributors of Maryland—Baltimore Sun, February 19, 2008.	“Most Americans were satisfied with the system [the wine distribution system] as it is except for a small, very vocal segment who say they can’t get their bottle of 1997 whatever.” Craig Wolf, Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association—New York Times, January 30, 2008	'If you read Granholm vs. Heald it said several things, one of which is that everything refers to wineries. There is no mention and no discussion of retailers. They are not covered under Granholm." Jerry Rosen Beverage Retailers Allilance of Illinois—Wine & Spirits Daily, April 25, 2008
“It’s not a free market for a reason. It’s regulated because of the product we sell. We’re unapologetic about our defense of the system. It’s worked well for three quarters of a century and we don’t want to see it dismantled for a small number of oenophiles and the interests of wineries.” Jim Purucker, lobbyist for Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Indiana—Indianapolis Business Journal, March 15, 2008	"The American consumer who’s complaining that he can’t get some obscure frou-frou wine produced and bottled by Croatian virgins is missing the point. The reason he even WANTS that bottle of wine is because of the incredible variety that is already on the shelves! And how did it get there? WE put it there!" Jack Goldenberg, Chairman, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association at the WSWA 2008 Annual Convention