Spirits are not sold in Virginia and North Carolina.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict2 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Lawfare PodcastSep 14, 2026
Read literally, the claim is contradicted: Virginia ABC and North Carolina's control system sell spirits in both states through state-run stores. Read as the post likely intended, that private retailers such as Total Wine cannot sell spirits there, the sources support it, since spirits move only through state wholesale and retail channels; the sources do not name Total Wine directly.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… And with the lowest prices, I can bring home a few different fall flakes flavors for everyone to try. Find your favorite fall flavors at the lowest at Total Wine and More. Spirits are not sold in Virginia and North Carolina. Drink responsibly. Be 21. It is Friday, the eleventh day of September, 2026. Is four o'clock pm. In Washington, DC. You are watching Lawfare Live: The Trials and the Tribulations of the Trump Administration. …
The Lawfare Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. The Virginia ABC primary white paper states that spirits are sold in Virginia by Virginia ABC, which acts as the exclusive wholesaler and retailer of spirits in the state.[1]
Contradicts. Sovos (published 2026-09-09) states that North Carolina is a control state and that all spirits are sold through its control system, so spirits are sold there.[2]
Supports. Legal Clarity (2026) says that in Virginia and North Carolina spirits are sold exclusively through state-operated stores, so consumers generally cannot buy them at grocery or big-box retailers.[3]
Supports. Park Street's Virginia overview says manufacturers must work through licensed Virginia wholesalers and that Virginia ABC is the exclusive spirits retailer, which fits the reading that private retailers do not sell spirits there.[4]
Context. Tasting Table (2026) notes that in North Carolina and Virginia liquor sales are regulated by the state, so shoppers must go to ABC stores.[5]
Sources
5 sources: 1 primary, 4 not rated
- 1Control Statesabc.virginia.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts
- 2Spirits Distribution Rules by State - Sovossovos.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 3What States Have State-Owned Liquor Stores?legalclarity.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 4Virginia Alcohol Laws, Sales, Statistics, and Trends (2026)parkstreet.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Why Publix Keeps Its Liquor In Completely Separate Storestastingtable.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post