Appeals court reinstates 'face-to-face' wine provision

An attorney for a group of wine connoisseurs says they are considering whether to appeal a federal appeals court ruling that Indiana residents must first make face-to-face contact with a wine merchant before they can place wine orders over the phone or Internet.

A federal judge in Indianapolis lifted the face-to-face requirement in August 2007.

But the U.S. 7th Court of Appeals in Chicago reinstated it yesterday, ruling that a lack of age verification makes it easier for minors to get wine shipped to them.

Although the ruling is a loss for Hoosier connoisseurs and the wineries that want to ship products to them, it was a victory for the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission and others who argued that the "face-to-face" rule was needed to protect minors.