Wine Shipping Bill in Pennsylvania

ROME- A controversial bill currently being considered by Pennsylvania state lawmakers would require wineries to first ship their bottles to the Liquor Control Board, before you receive it.  The bill's sponsor says the law would keep wine out of children's hands, but opponents say the law would hurt both small wineries and wine lovers.
The wine business has been steady for the Pickerings ever since they opened their winery three years ago, the first ever established in Bradford County.

“It took off a lot better than we ever expected,” says Jim Pickering. 

Pickering says most of his customers come right to this tasting room. 

He might be able to expand his business if he could reach more customers out of the area by shipping wine, but current Pennsylvania laws don't make it easy.

“We try not to ship just because of the red tape and the hassle,” says Jim Pickering. 

For a small winery like Pickering, shipping wine just doesn't make sense economically.

Most other states also require wineries to purchase a permit, which can cost up to five hundred dollars, for each shipment of wine.  Within Pennsylvania, wineries can ship directly to customers right now, but state legislators want to change that.  The new bill would require wineries to first ship their wine to the Liquor Control Board.  The LCB would then ship the wine to consumers for an additional fee.

Pickering says the bill would really hurt small wineries and wine lovers.

“Unless your really large-scale, a small winery like ourselves you could never do it,” says Jim Pickering. 

“It’s very expensive,” says Mary Pickering.

One wine lover we spoke with says the laws do need to change, but in a way that benefits small wineries.

“They're local businesses and anything we can do to help local businesses compete with the larger Mondaves of the world, we should,” says Jessica Seeley of Troy. 

But another wine lover says there's no need to ship wine.

 “Buy it in person,” says Karen Parkhurst of Wyalusing.

The Pickerings say they'd prefer customers come to their winery.  After all, if you actually visit Pickering Winery, you can meet Francis, the inspiration for one of their most popular wines, Fran Cat.

The wine shipping bill is in committee right now.  Another hearing is scheduled for September, according to the bill's sponsor.