Luckily for residents of Connecticut, the state has an open permit when it comes to shipping and receiving alcohol. This means receiving wine in the mail is very simple if you live in this state.
Overall, the alcohol shipping laws in Connecticut are laid-back for the consumer, but are more of a pain for the retailer.
One of the things you must know is in order to receive wine in the mail, your package must be clearly labeled, stating there is alcohol in the box, and someone 21 years old or older must receive the shipment.
The other stipulation you must be aware of is that there is a quantity limit you have to follow. We will cover that later in the article.
Read on to learn more about the wine shipping laws of Connecticut, the best wine clubs and retailers that ship to this state, as well as additional tips to know when receiving wine in the mail in Connecticut.
Connecticut wine delivery services
Contents
- Overview of wine shipping laws in Connecticut
- Wine clubs that ship to Connecticut
- How to order wine online in Connecticut
- Conclusion
Overview of wine shipping laws in Connecticut
Like many states, Connecticut has very laid-back alcohol shipping laws. Connecticut has an open permit, which means the state allows the direct shipment of alcohol. In fact, there aren’t any communities within the state of Connecticut that have made the shipping of alcohol illegal, so all residents within the state can receive wine pretty easily.
You have to abide by a few small stipulations, but they are pretty easy to follow. It’s much more challenging for the retailer to send wine than for a resident to receive a shipment.
Here is why it’s a little more complicated for the retailer. In short, an Out-of-State Shipper’s Permit (or form OR-131) must be filled out with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) once per retailer. It costs $500 for a winery or retailer that distributes less than 100,000 gallons but is $2,000 for those that ship more than 100,000 gallons.
Retailers must also get a Direct to Consumer (DTC) permit, which costs a one-time fee of $100 and an additional $315 annually on top of that. These fees don’t affect the consumer.
For retailers of wineries that produce or ship less than 55,000 gallons of wine, a Small Winery Certificate (or File Form REG-15) must be filled out. There will be an excise tax on wine at 20 cents per gallon (as opposed to the regular tax rate of 79 cents per gallon).
Wineries or retailers that produce or ship more than 55,000 gallons of wine will pay an excise tax of 79 cents per gallon. This tax will be added to the price of your shipment when you order wine. There are more regulations the retailer must follow, but we won’t cover all of them in this article as they don’t affect the consumer.
Similar to states like California and Colorado, the package you ship containing alcohol must be clearly labeled, saying, “Contains alcohol: signature of a person 21 years of age or older required for delivery.” When received, you must show a valid ID proving you are 21 years old or older, or you will not receive your shipment of wine.
There is a wine shipment limit as well. You can receive two cases (or 24 bottles) of wine per person every two months. This is still a good amount of wine per shipment, so it’s not a big problem for most people. Overall, the alcohol shipping laws in Connecticut are much tougher on the retailer than the consumer.
Wine clubs that ship to Connecticut
There aren’t many restrictions when it comes to receiving wine in the state of Connecticut, so many wine clubs ship to this state without any roadblocks. You do have to remember that you can only receive two cases of wine per person every two months, though.
Here are a few of our favorite clubs that will ship anywhere within the state of Connecticut:
1. Plonk Wine Club
Plonk specializes in finding organic and sustainably grown wines. This means the grapes are grown using organic and biodynamic methods, so pesticides are not used on the grapes. There are no commercial additives used like colorants, artificial sugars, alcohol enhancements, or acidifiers either.
What’s nice about Plonk Wine Club is that they focus on quality bottles of wine that cost less than $30, which means you can get a great quality bottle of wine without overspending.
Another thing to note about Plonk is that you can customize how many shipments a year you receive as well as how many bottles come in each package. You can receive wine monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly, and you can receive four, six, or 12 bottles per shipment.
You can get a box of all white wine, red wine, or a combination of both, and you can also include rosé and sparkling wines in your subscription. Also, make sure to check their site periodically, as they offer coupons regularly if you want to knock down the price of your shipment.
2. Naked Wines
Because of the laid-back alcohol shipping laws in Connecticut, Naked Wines ships to the state without any issues. You just need someone who is 21 years or older to receive the package, but Naked Wines requires this with every state they ship wine to.
If you are looking to support smaller independent wineries, Naked Wines is a good choice. They purchase directly from these wineries, which normally saves you about 60 percent off retail prices.
Naked Wines has a great selection that is extremely high quality, as over 150 wines featured on their site have won gold medals in prestigious competitions like the International Wine & Spirits Competition. They also have more than just your standard red and white wine; they also offer rosé and sparkling wines if you are looking for a greater selection.
The boxes at Naked Wines are very customizable as well. You can choose wine from over eight different countries. You can also select the price range per bottle that you are looking to spend, and you can choose your favorite styles of wine and flavor profiles.
If you’re looking for a little quirkier wine, then Naked Wines is a great selection for you to try. Plus, you’re also supporting small businesses with this subscription.
3. WSJ Wine Club
Who would have thought that a publication like The Wall Street Journal would have a wine club? Well, they do, and they have been featured in publications like The New Yorker, Food & Wine, The New York Times, and Travel + Leisure.
What’s great about this wine club is that they always have promotions, offers, and deals going on to save you some extra money on each shipment. Also, this is a great box for people who know what wine styles they like but don’t know exactly what they are looking for. All you have to do is tell WSJ your favorite styles of wine, and they will craft a box that works for you.
You also aren’t locked into anything with WSJ Wine Club. You can feel free to upgrade your subscription, change your selections, and cancel your membership without any issues. If you aren’t super picky and like wine recommendations, this is the perfect wine club for you to try.
Additional wine clubs that ship to Connecticut
As we have discovered, the alcohol shipping laws in Connecticut are pretty laid back, so finding wine clubs that will ship to this state is pretty simple. The only thing to keep in mind is that Connecticut’s taxes are high, and this is reflected on your order when you buy wine online in this state.
Beyond that, it’s incredibly easy for consumers to receive wine from a wine club within Connecticut. Here are some additional clubs that will also ship wine to this state:
- Firstleaf
- Winc
- Gold Medal Wine Club
- International Premier Club
- California Premier Club
- Sunset Wine Club
- SomMailier Wine Club
- The Premier Series
- Picked by Wine.com
- Aged Cabernet Series
- Decanter Magazine Wine Club
- Vinesse
How to order wine online in Connecticut
It’s easy to order and receive wine in the state of Connecticut as the alcohol shipping laws on the consumer are pretty relaxed.
The biggest issue you have to worry about is that the shipment must come labeled stating that there is alcohol within the box and that a person 21 years or older must receive the package. As long as you show a valid ID you can easily accept your shipment.
There is a quantity limit of two cases per person every two months, but this doesn’t apply per household. If you have two people at home aged 21 or older, you can order four cases of wine every two months for example.
No communities within the state of Connecticut have made the shipping of alcohol illegal, so every resident 21 years old or older may receive shipments of wine, subject to two cases every two months limit. Alcohol shipping laws are pretty lax in this state, and many retailers and wine clubs will send wine to Connecticut.
Wine retailers that deliver to Connecticut
Overall, the alcohol shipping laws are laid back for the consumer in the state of Connecticut. It’s more difficult for the retailer, but most companies are prepared to work with the laws in the state.
There are many retailers that will ship to Connecticut. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Henri’s Reserve
- Ninety + Cellars
- Organic Wine Exchange
- One-Stop Wine Shop
- Kendall Jackson
- Usual
- Gloria Ferrer
- BuyWinesOnline.com
- Cameron Hughes
- Vivino
- Wine Insiders
- Duckhorn
Conclusion
Alcohol shipping laws within the state of Connecticut are pretty relaxed, so it’s easy to receive wine in the mail if you are a resident of this state. As we have discovered, the biggest stipulation is labeling the package saying the box contains alcohol and that someone 21 years or older must receive the box.
The only other kicker is the quantity limit, as each person may receive two cases of wine every two months. However, if there are multiple people in your home over 21 years old, you may receive more cases, as the law states that the limit is per person, not per household.
Many wine clubs and retailers ship to Connecticut, so finding someone who will ship to you isn’t much trouble. Connecticut is great for wine lovers as it’s easy to get the wine you want delivered to your doorstep.
About the author
I’m a resident of Orange County, California originally hailing from Pennsylvania, so I’m a huge fan of Philadelphia-based sports teams. Some of my loves are my family (including my husband, one-year-old son, pit bull, and dachshund), animals, writing, working out, and all forms of alcohol especially wine. I worked at BevMo for over five years, so I definitely know my way around beer, spirits and wine. I am very passionate about wine and am a huge fan of all styles, but I have a soft spot for a great Sauvignon Blanc on a hot day. A fun fact about me is that I love hedgehogs and dogs, and I spend as much time as I can volunteering for animal rescues.