Defending the PLCB

A lot of people are using the wine kiosks to jump all over the PLCB and the liquor laws. We think the animosity is going too far. This post on philly wine finder tries to defend the PLCB, at least from a philly perspective. What does the rest of the state think?

http://www.phillywinefinder.com/2010/07/why-the-plcb-is-good-for-philly-wine-consumer s.html

Am I misunderstanding or may I distill the argument for the PLCB to: there are some good discounts and you can work around the system by breaking the law because the law isn't enforced?

Another solid point the author makes is that wine in the supermarket is extremely overrated. Few, with the exception of some select wholefoods in Austin and a few others, have any wine that I would want to buy. Yes, a selection of overoaked Chards and yellowtail can be had at most any supermarket/convenience store in America, but if you are viewing this site, my guess is that that doesn't entice you.

I am not generally in favor of the PLCB, especially as it pertains to beer, but some of the criticism and the idealizing of other states as winehavens is silly. Yes there are boutique stores with boutique prices and one-stop warehouses with every booze under the sun in strip malls in the exurbs (30 minute drive, good luck finding anything). These places are not the convenient, value-added, panacea that some boast.

It is what it is...overly beaurocratic, rife with patronage & insensitive to the consumer. Sounds like government to me. HOWEVER, I ran into the same problems at private stores in TX, NC, SC, VA & LA (where you can get liquor Sun AM at the convenience stores!)

Just because the vendor is private doesn't gain you any more access to the things you want unless you get a vendor who cares. Ever get a good steak at Wendy's? The NY system always seemed to be the best of the bunch in the volume locations but getting government 'out' of the liquor/wine business there means an ungodly tax & higher prices.

PLCB sucks a lot worse if you don't have convenient access to specialty stores in the east & Pgh area, so unless you're stuck in Clearfield it's not that bad.

Surprised that the article didn't mention out-of-state shipping since it's turning out that isn't so illegal after all either, as long as someone takes care of the state's cut. Seems to me that the grass is always greener in the other state on this issue.

KevinP

Am I misunderstanding or may I distill the argument for the PLCB to: there are some good discounts and you can work around the system by breaking the law because the law isn't enforced?



Weeeellll... Short answer, yes.

But I'll point out that many other states have sales and sin tax laws that are flouted by any resident buying outside their borders.

Look, as a whole, our admittedly idiotic liquor laws have made Philly perhaps the nation's most vital BYOB city. And we regularly make the cut as one of the best beer cities, though I don't know if that's got anything to do with any of this. All of this may be an unintended consequence of the system's structure, but the fact remains that the day that changes, my drinking standards will drop dramatically. And I don't want them to.

I couldn't agree more about the BYO culture that's developed, likely as a consequence of our idiotic liquor laws. I too would drink much worse, or dine out less, without that. I suspect that there are also other positive arguments for the PLCB. I just didn't agree with the argument that OP was making.

I also have to believe that the negatives outweigh the positives. Even some of the seeming positives - e.g. liberal return policy - end up having negative unintended comsequences - Joe Dressner will no longer sell his wines to the PLCB.

Some of the negatives from a purely selfish perspective -
- Poorly stored and transported wines
- Poor selection of natural and small production wines (last week, there was no Muscadet of any kind in the flag-ship Ardmore store - what was I to drink with my oysters??!)
- Very limited ability to legally purchase wine from out-of-state wineries or retailers
- Discouragement of any kind of 'wine culture' - I can't imagine a Terroir (SF) or Ten Bells (NY) in Philadelphia. The wines can't be found or are too expensive.

I'm not saying I want easy access to Total Wines, but I'd love to have a Chambers Street or even Wine Library....and keep the BYOs!

Rant over

Socialism seems to work best with capitalism next door.

http://www.phillywinefinder.com/

The PLCB has some good merits. We all take part in the excellent savings in some of the Chairman's Selections. And, in general, the prices and selection is in the ballpark of other states. My issue is with the closed system, and in some of the decisions they've made. Our inability to receive out of state wine, whether it be shipped or hand carried, is monopolistic. Bottom line, you can only buy wine from out of state sources IF you pay the duty, IF it's basically already sold in the PLCB system. If you want to buy wine from a distributer, there's a 2 day waiting period (you can buy a gun quicker). Even the brand new PLCB website is ridiculous. To order online you have to PAY to have it shipped from the warehouse to your local store by UPS.

The PLCB was specifically created to make liquor as expensive and inconvenient as possible (our prohibitionist past). While it's better, it still has MAJOR quirks that stem from bureaucracy more than common sense. Sadly, other than frequenting our own state wineries, the only legal way to enjoy good wine is to use the system.

- Discouragement of any kind of 'wine culture' - I can't imagine a Terroir (SF) or Ten Bells (NY) in Philadelphia. The wines can't be found or are too expensive.

There is Ristorante Panorama, the Wine School of Philadelphia, and coming soon Jet Wine Bar.

http://www.phillywinefinder.com/