** UPDATE ** It may take the court several months to rule on this.  Stay tuned!

MEDIA ADVISORY via the Institute for Justice | www.IJ.org

Court Hearing Will Determine Fate of Lawsuit Challenging Minnesota Law Governing the Use of Locally Grown Fruit in Wine

DATE/TIME: Thursday, December 7, 2017, at 11:00 A.M. CST

LOCATION:
Courtroom 3B
U.S. District Court, St. Paul Courthouse
316 N. Robert St
St. Paul, MN 55101

PARTICIPANTS:

Nan Bailly, Owner of Alexis Bailly Vineyard
Timothy Tulloch, Owner of Next Chapter Winery
Anthony Sanders, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice

CONTACT:
Rek LeCounte, Communications Project Manager, (804) 326-4497

SUMMARY:

A little-known but onerous state law bans farm wineries from legally making wine unless a majority of the winery’s grapes are grown in Minnesota—a restriction that protects the state’s grape industry from economic competition. This severe restriction effectively ruins Minnesota farm wineries’ potential to grow economically and provide flavorful, affordable wine to consumers. In this hearing, Judge Wilhelmina Wright will hear competing motions for summary judgment from the plaintiffs, Bailly and Tulloch, and the defendant—Commissioner Ramona Dohman of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

A victory for Bailly and Tulloch would allow all Minnesota wineries to compete on a more level playing field with wineries across the country. A ruling for Commissioner Dohman would temporarily preserve Minnesota’s economic protectionism, which violates local vintners’ right to engage in interstate and foreign commerce, as protected under the Interstate and Foreign Commerce clauses of the U.S. Constitution. Bailly, Tulloch and IJ attorney Anthony Sanders will be available after the hearing for interviews.

For more on the lawsuit:

• A matter of taste, a sense of place: Exploring both sides of the MN Winemaking Lawsuit

• Two Minnesota Farm Wineries challenge law to produce wine with locally grown fruit