On February 20, 2026, in a victory for American beer, wine, and spirits importers, the Supreme Court in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, 607 US ____, Slip Op., February 20, 2026 (“Learning Resources”) struck down President Trump’s imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”). The Trump administration had used IEEPA to justify certain tariffs imposed on imported goods from various countries in 2025, including beer, wine and spirits. Despite the decision in the importers’ favor, no one is popping the Champagne quite yet. First, while the Court’s opinion invalidated the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs, it has no effect on the administrations’ ability to rely on other statutes to impose tariffs. Second, on the same day that the Supreme Court issued its decision, the President issued a proclamation imposing a 10% worldwide tariff under a different federal law (discussed in more detail belo

Alcohol beverage importers may finally get their answer from the United States Supreme Court this week on the validity of the Trump Administration’s tariffs issued pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).[1] Recent news reports suggest that the Court’s answer may come as early as this Friday, when the Court is scheduled to issue opinions on pending cases. Based on the questions posed by both liberal and conservative justices during oral argument, many commentators expect the Court to conclude that the president exceeded his authority by invoking IEEPA to issue those tariffs.   There are, however, a lot of open questions beyond just the validity of the tariffs. Most importantly, if the Court finds the tariffs are invalid, will importers that have already paid the tariffs be entitled to refunds and what will the process be for getting those refunds. Questions also remain as to whether the case will be remanded to a lower court to determine the

Starting a new business is an exciting venture, and for many entrepreneurs, a catchy brand name for their company or products is the first step toward success. In recent years, companies—especially breweries, wineries, and toy manufacturers—have adopted parody trademarks to garner attention for their products. A clever and humorous parody mark can be an amusing way to stand out, but it also carries significant risks. A “parody trademark” is a mark that uses an existing brand in a satirical or humorous manner. These marks take recognizable elements from the original and change them with a humorous twist to create a new commercial impression. However, a parody must be perceived by consumers as a critique or joke, rather than as an indication of an affiliation between the businesses. If the parody mark uses a well-known brand’s recognition to sell its own products, it may be deemed infringing by the owner of the pre-existing brand, even when such use is consi

The calendar flip from 2024 to 2025 heralded several new packaging regulations, rulemaking updates, and bills with significant implications for consumer packaged goods in North America and Europe. Recent packaging legislation is reshaping packaging requirements for waste reduction, recyclable materials, circularity, and sustainability. However, actions by the Trump Administration may defer regulatory action at the U.S. federal level and shift packaging-related policies. EPR Packaging Laws Five U.S. states—California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota—have passed extended producer responsibility laws for packaging. While each state's requirements vary, they share common goals of reducing packaging waste, enhancing recycling efforts, and holding producers (e.g., brand owners) accountable for the life cycle of their products. Since the start of the year, nine states have introduced or re-introduced EPR packaging bills. They include Washington, Tennessee, Hawaii

[This third in a series of articles on the art of event marketing is a guide that focuses on all the main event. Reference post #1 post, Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail, to discover proactive tactics to complete first, followed by #2: It’s Showtime, to grab quick lessons on game-time decisions at the event.] Don’t Stop Now You’ve planned for the conference. You’ve attended the conference, and you hit it out of the park. The booth garnered oohs and ahhs. Attendees came from far and wide to learn more about the brand with the coolest setup on the floor. It would be easy at this stage to deem the event a success and call it a day. Not so fast. A successful event program depends on post-event activities as much as it does on the event itself. As you wind down one event, you’re already preparing for the next by reflecting on how the event unfolded. What worked? What didn’t? Did we meet our goals? Can we do better? Check out our all-in-one Confere

August 19, 2024 — To combat the costly and persistent issue of returned shipments in the direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping industry, RedChirp and Sovos ShipCompliant are proud to announce an innovative integration that enables wineries to automatically text customers notifications that their shipments are on the way. This will significantly reduce returns and boost customer satisfaction. With the high cost and strict adult signature requirements for shipping wine, spirits, and beer directly to consumers, timely and effective communication is essential. Unlike emails, which are often overlooked, text messages are more likely to be immediately noticed, making them a valuable tool for keeping customers informed and engaged. Through the Sovos ShipCompliant integration, wineries can automatically trigger text message notifications as soon as a tracking number appears in ShipCompliant. These messages can include tracking links, allowing customers to easily monitor their sh

Today's #winebiz news for #wineindustry professionals...  $1.2 Million Spent on Controversial Wine Subsidy Program from January to March After months of silence, the Nova Scotia government finally revealed the total figure spent on a wine subsidy program that caused many of the province’s winemakers to feel sour…

Last night while I was sleeping, my heart beat 38,400 times. I didn’t ask it to keep beating through my slumber, nor did I thank it when I awoke. I just took my heartbeat, and my life, for granted. Shame on me. We do the same with wine. Sure, we enjoy the aroma, bouquet and taste. But we rarely reflect that this magical elixir is a natural farm product…a land preserver…a reflection of place and time…an artistic statement…a liquid food…a Biblical focus…a poetic inspiration…a cultural phenomenon…an economic engine…a noble beverage with humble roots which brings people together around the world. Wine is magic. So why don’t we tell people? Natural magic It’s easy to fret about the future of wine. Boomers are aging, younger generations are opting out, spirits are innovating and there are increasing warnings about the dangers of alcohol.  It’s deja vu all over again. We’ve been here before, and

Afternoon Brief, September 7th

New Jersey Judge Upholds Retail Shipping Ban: Once again, the courts deem retail sales to be different than winery offerings...

Dowsers: Vintners Embrace the Ancient Art for Finding Water

Once deemed witchcraft, dowsing locates underground water sources via a guiding instrument, such as a willow branch, metal rods or pendulum.  By L.M. Archer  As climate change intensifies, many vineyards […]