Wyldewood Cellars Raid


Feel safer now? 5 years ago, the FDA sent a letter to Wyldewood Cellars to cease advertising that elderberry juice has medicinal benefits. Wyldewood Cellars does what they think needs to be done to comply with the request. They hear nothing from the FDA for 5 years until US Marshals come to the warehouse and quarantine all of their product. Really? Is that how we're running things today? At least they didn't kill any dogs.

I'm not going to say that Wyldewood Cellars is innocent in this matter, I don't have any idea. But, from the information given it seems like they were more than willing to comply and thought they were complying. A simple phone call or visit from an FDA agent could have cleared up the matter. Imagine you filed a tax return in 2006, got a letter from the IRS a couple weeks later saying you didn't claim some income and owed $200. You sign some papers and send a check for $200 and in your mind the matter is cleared up. Then, this morning, you awaken to a knock on your door and sheriff's officers are at your door with paperwork stating they're seizing your house because of a false 2006 tax return. This is the same thing.

Actually, not quite the same thing, ostensibly the government would be trying to recover some revenue they were owed. In Wyldewood Cellars' case, the government has issue with some advertising material that says some doctors advise patients to use elderberry juice to boost their immune system. Has anyone ever told you that blueberries are good for you? Should the FDA seize all the blueberries in the US if the Blueberry Council made a claim that that blueberries are good for you? No, this entire thing is ridiculous.

I write this because Wyldewood Cellars is somewhat local. If you're so inclined, go out and buy some Wyldewood Cellars wine and help them out while the FDA settles this matter with them on government time.

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