A story of fits and starts that provides a chronicle of the history of wine in the United States told through the lens of the law. It explains how laws shape the wine industry in such areas as pricing and taxation, licensing, appellations, health claims and warnings, labeling, and domestic and international commerce.
"Reflecting America's complicated and often confused cultural identity, laws have long regulated who can and cannot make, sell, distribute, purchase, and drink wine. Richard Mendelson's compelling legal history is detailed but never dry because it reveals as much about Americans' attitudes towards themselves as about their understanding of wine."-Paul Lukacs, author of American Vintage: The Rise of American Wine and The Great Wines of America
"This concise yet well-documented history of how the wine industry has fared, and ultimately triumphed, through temperance, Prohibition, and convoluted control systems makes an enjoyable read for any serious oenophile."-Philip J. Cook, author of Paying the Tab: The Costs and Benefits of Alcohol Control
"A fascinating work."
