NATCHEZ &045; If Scotty Galbreath IV wants to run his family’s Old South Winery in the future, he might see a revolution in small town winery sales.

As 12-year-old Scotty asked his father for instructions for setting up boxes in the Natchez wooden cellar, bottles and cases of wine from Virginia and other U.S. wineries were being shipped directly to customers without any state restriction, something previously not possible.

The Supreme Court with a 5-4 majority on May 16 determined it was unfair not to allow interstate shipments of wine. Each state had set restrictions for shipping and taxing of alcohol. Mississippi, before the Court’s decision, prohibited any direct shipment of alcohol. This decision now makes it possible for wine lovers to have their choice of wines directly shipped to their doorstep.

Scott Galbreath III said he is hopeful for a positive effect from the

Supreme Court’s decision.

&uot;I think it’s good for small wineries, but as far as our case I can only hope it helps us,&uot; he said.

Though he said he hasn’t seen any direct impact on sales yet, Galbreath sees the potential for his business to grow from the change.

&uot;Most customers want the wine delivered to their home,&uot; he said.

Galbreath has tried to direct ship since the ruling only to find difficulty in the process, but it wasn’t state restrictions that blocked the bottles of wine to their destination. He said UPS still won’t allow wine to be shipped and Fed Ex will only allow the shipment through overnight delivery.

&uot;We all know (overnight delivery)

can be expensive,&uot; he said.

Sonja Taylor has seen a love for the local wine from some of her guests at The Burn bed and breakfast, where she sells Old South’s wine.

&uot;We had people that have specifically wanted the wine and asked to go to the winery,&uot; said Taylor.

Galbreath also sells the varieties of wine to customers outside of Natchez and Vidalia. Old South is one of the only licensed Mississippi native wineries.

Natchez residents and organizations could experience some benefits of convenience due to the new law. An employee at the winery said, some local churches use the wine for their cedar mills.

&uot;If we could ship four bottles of wine to homes, it would really help us,&uot; Galbreath said.