Much more at stake than Gewürztraminer: The U.S. Supreme Court's wine decision

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the laws of 11 states that permitted in-state wineries to sell wine directly to customers in those states, but prevented out-of-state wineries from doing the same. While the wine decision will help wineries that serve customers via the Internet, its economic implications are much greater for markets such as real estate and automobiles. The Court's broad interpretation of the Commerce Clause has the potential to eliminate many of the protectionist practices that states have developed to shield local firms from out-of-state competition, particularly that fostered by the Internet. Consumers will save an estimated $23.7 billion per year if these protectionist practices are eliminated.