Patch Poll: With Wine and Spirit Prices on the Increase, Should the State Let Private Businesses Sell Alcohol?
More than 300 products will see increases — the first in 18 months.
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A bottle of Hennessy Cognac Paradis at Pennsylvania state stores will cost $200 more next month. Dom Perignon, another top-shelf champagne, will cost $5 more.
And, for those with less regal champagne tastes, Moet Chandon Nectar Imperial Rose will increase by $4.
The price hikes begin Feb. 1 on more than 300 products at Pennsylvania wine and spirit shops. It is the first increase in 18 months after the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board placed a moratorium on vendor-requested increases because of the recession.
The increase in prices is slated to be rolled out over February and March.
The increase was spurred by vendor pressure and affects all state stores, including the store on Route 19 in the Cranberry Mall and the store on Route 228 adjacent to the Giant Eagle in Seven Fields. There's also a state store in the Northgate Plaza in Harmony.
"We couldn't continue to turn down the vendors’ requests for price increases, because we would risk losing the opportunity to carry (their) products," PLCB member P.J. Stapleton told the PA Independent.
Vendors are allowed to request price increases four times a year, he said.
"I struggled with (raising prices), but we at least need to work with the vendors to make sure the product stays on the shelf," PLCB Chairman Joseph Brion said.
Most common brands of wine and liquor will increase only slightly.
According to the complete list, as published by CBS Philly, a Sutter Home bottle of white zinfandel will go from $9.99 to $11.99, and a bottle of Jim Beam's rye whiskey rises to $18.99 from $17.99.
The top shelf spirits, though, rise sharply. Hennessy Cognac Paradis, for example, jumps from $359.99 to $599.99 per bottle.
Not all brands are increasing in price. State stores typically carry about 4,400 products, and the statewide system sells about 30,000 different types of wine and liquor.
The news comes as the General Assembly gets back into gear. House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Turzai, R-28, and Gov. Corbett have made it a legislative priority to explore the option of privatizing liquor stores, though bills in both chambers have stalled.
For more information, visit the liquor control board's website.
In This article
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Liquor Stores
20111 Route 19, Cranberry Township, PA -
Giant Eagle
20111 Route 19, Cranberry Township, PA -
Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits
9 Northgate Plz, Harmony, PA
ed cloonan
8:20 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
GET REAL---300 PRICES GOING UP OVER 18 MONTHS OUT OF 30,000 PRODUCTS AMOUNT TO 1%----THE VERY 1% WHO WOULD LEAP TO THE CONCLUSION OF DUMPING THE BEST SYSTEM FOR THE COMMON GOOD BECAUSE OF A COGNAC THAT 99.99% OF THE PEOPLE WOULD LAUGH ABOUT.THE SO-CALLED STATE STORE PRIVATIZATION IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM--ENGINEERED BY NEWSPAPERS GREEDY FOR ADVERTISING REVENUES ,PRIVATIZATION ZEALOTS,PROFITEERING PIRATES AND THEIR PAID FOR ALCOHOL INDUSTRY POLITICIANS.
Jeremy Phillips
11:17 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Gas, milk and other necessities increase all the time yet there is RARELY any mention if those increases. The price increases on the number one abused drug in the world and people go insane. I would much rather see the prices of alcohol and cigarettes increase than see the citizens of this commonwealth have to continue to pay increased medical and auto insurance rate due to the I'll effects caused by both of these extremely dangerous DRUGS OF CHOICE.
Neil Cashman
12:46 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I sugget you do your research before you blindly jump into this debate. While I -- and probably most of your readers -- never heard of Hennessy Cognac Paradis, at a Total Wines store in NJ -- a private retailer --the product ALREADY sells for $579.00. Sounds like PA residents have been getting a bargain again!!!!
Scott Tyson
6:47 pm on Sunday, January 29, 2012
The present system allows far better control over sales to minors, maintains good paying jobs for a huge number in PA. The moment we privatize, there will be one goal, and one goal only--maximum profits. Privatization is not the answer. Business is it the business to make money--look what they have done to our health care system.
JIM HENRY
11:17 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
DO ALL PENNSYLVANIANS A GREAT FAVOR AND SELL THE LEGISLATURE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD ANY PERSON WITH COMMON SENSE SELL THEIR GREATEST ASSET FOR A ONE TIME DEAL, THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN TAKING FROM THE POOR AND GIVING TO THE RICH.