A law passed in 2001 and signed by Governor Ben Cayetano opened up the Hawaiian wine industry to more domestic trading within the mainland United States. The new law allows the state to enter into reciprocal trade agreements with other states, enabling residents of Hawaii to purchase wine directly from wineries in those states in exchange for those states allowing Hawaiian wineries to sell wine in those states without having to go through a wholesaler in the typical three-tier distribution system.[4]
Winery and Vineyards
Three main winery-vineyards operate in Hawaii:[1][5]
In November 2020, the TTB received a petition from Mark Beaman, winemaker at Maui Wines, proposing the establishment of the Ulupalakua AVA. The proposed Ulupalakua AVA is located within the 18,000-acre Ulupalakua Ranch on the island of Maui and is approximately 70 acres, with about 16 acres of vineyards.[8] The AVA was approved in July 2021.