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Amazon Gives Texans Their Wine Online

flickr.com/dionnehartnett

Ordering the most recent Jodi Picoult novel or maybe a nice throw blanket on Amazon?

Now you can get a robust, full-bodied cabernet to complement them both.

Today, Amazon opened up their wine delivery service up to the Lone Star state, offering over 350 wines and 2,200 labels from across the world.

The online sales giant could bring the close to 300 wineries in Texas into the national and international spotlight. As of right now, the site has only 11 Texas vineyards available for delivery including:

  • Brennan Vineyards
  • Llano Estacado
  • Arche Syrah
  • Messina Hof
  • McPherson Cellars
  • Poteet Country Winery
  • Bell Springs
  • Chisholm Trail
  • Becker Vineyards
  • Blue Ostrich
  • Tehuacana Creek Vineyards

Lou Bright is the head of legal counsel for the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, he said the battle to get wine online has been raging since the late '90s, but that Texas vineyards have been able to ship directly to consumers since 2005.
Typical markets like liquor stores and restaurants are the “Mississippi River,” he said. “But this direct-to-consumer channel is Bull Creek at most, but it is still pretty popular [and] it is growing in strength.”

Texas is the second largest destination for direct-to-door wine, Bright said.

Andrew Weber is a general assignment reporter for KUT, focusing on criminal justice, policing, courts and homelessness in Austin and Travis County. Got a tip? You can email him at aweber@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @England_Weber.
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