Mike Thompson: “it is unfortunate that this bill is on the floor today. This bill is no more than an attempt to advantage one industry…”

“it is unfortunate that this bill is on the floor today. This bill is no more than an attempt to advantage one industry group over another. It comes at a time when we should be working to find a solution to the problem, the problem of consumers not having access to the wines of their choice because distributors are unable to service the growth in small wineries. In 1963, there were 375 wineries. Today, in 1999, there are 2,000 wineries. In 1963, we had 10,900 distributors. Today, we have 300 distributors. This is the problem. This is why small wineries and consumers who want to buy premium wine from small wineries are looking for other available places in order to purchase it. There is an Amador Foothill grower in California that was interviewed by the press; and he said, ``A lot of large distributors look on wineries of our size as a nuisance. They cannot sell much of our wine. And the larger wineries are banking on them to sell 10 percent more each year, so they do not have time to sell small premium wines.'' That is the problem. This problem is not about kids buying wine in cyberspace. As a matter of fact, that argument does not even pass the giggle test. The fact of the matter is, teenage kids across this Nation are not going to be purchasing premium Cabernet wine from my district, from anywhere from $40 to $150 a bottle. Everyone has been able to see through this clever cover.”