Or at least there is a God of Wine, known variously as Bacchus or Dionysus, who has seen fit at last to grant long-suffering Pennsylvanians the legal right to order wine directly from out of state and have it sent to their local State Store, or in some cases, directly to their homes.
Pennsylvania imbibers have chafed for decades under the antiquated, communist-style State monopoly known as the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) which has done its level, bureaucratic best to stifle, frustrate and enrage consumers of beer, wine and spirits with lackluster service, poor selection and an embargo against purchasing booze from out of state either in person or by shipment.
At a speed that would give even glaciers an edge, the LCB has, in fact, over recent years, been making changes to the system in an effort to actually serve its customers better. Many stores have been remodeled and upgraded (though most with the same uninspiring selections); employees have been trained to treat customers as, well, customers as opposed to annoyances disrupting their confabulations with fellow workers (although recent experiences have demonstrated the need for retraining); specialty shops do feature expanded selections of quality, distinguished wines with knowledgeable and even expert sales persons; AND NOW.... drum roll, please .....
It's possible to order wine online from out of state and have it delivered to your nearest Liquor store!
I first availed myself of this service early this year when I signed up for a trial order from nakedwines.com which I highly recommend, but first let's talk logistics. Naked Wines is a direct mail order wine service that has registered with the PLCB to be able to ship wine to its customers via State Store locations. Naked Wines operates a little differently from other wine clubs: When you sign up for a trial, they immediately give you $100 credit to play with. The catch is that you have to order at least $160 worth of wine, but it's still a great deal. Upon placing the order, you just have it shipped to your nearest Liquor store (there's nominal $5 fee that's included in the order that goes to the PLCB), the store notifies you when the order has arrived, you sign for it with an ID and take it home. Simple as that! I have to say I was flabbergasted at how easy it was! The only slight snafu was that not every State Store can accept deliveries, so you might have to enter an alternative location when placing the order.
Now more about Naked Wines, their inventory of wines and wine producers, and how it works. If you decid to join after the trial purchase, you're put on a waiting list to become a member or "Angel" as that call it. You may have to wait a few months to become a member as there is a long queue. In the meantime, you can enjoy your first shipment.
Once you become a member, they debit your credit card in advance for $40 (or more) per month and you can order any time you want. Paying up front allows Naked Wines to support and invest in small, high quality independent wine growers from around the world. Prices for members are significantly discounted from their normal retail prices. So far I've enjoyed wines from Spain, Italy, France, California, New Zeland and S. America. I've been very impressed with almost all the wines I've ordered from Naked Wines. And, if you're not satisfied for any reason, you can get credit for any bottle you're pleased with, and you can cancel your membership anytime. So far, I've taken for credit for just one bottle I wasn't crazy about.
One more tip: to get free shipping, you have to order at least $100 worth of wine, so I just wait till I have sufficient credit built up to place an order.
And one more perk: when you order a case, they always include a free promotional bottle from a winemaker that's currently being featured!
See below for some of the wines I've ordered and enjoyed:
Virgile Joly Merlot 2015
$9.99 - Add
Lay of the Land Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015
$14.99 - Add
Benjamin Darnault Viognier 2015
$10.49 - Add
Benjamin Darnault Pique Nique Rose 2015
$9.99 - Add
Keith Hock Central Coast Rose 2015
$12.99 - Add
Carlos Rodriguez Albamisa Albarino 2014
Rachis by Randy Hester Sauvignon Blanc Lodi 2015
$11.99 - Add
Scott Kelley Pinot Gris Willamette 2015
Kimbao Sauvignon Blanc 2015
$8.99 - Add
Cordero Langhe DOC Arneis 2014
$10.49 - Add
Virgile Joly Ventoux 2014
Karen Birmingham Petite Sirah Clarksburg 2014
Lastly, do let me know if you sign up. You won't be disappointed!
P.S. I get no compensation for this endorsement :), although they were running a promotion last month for members who signed up friends, but I missed the deadline.
