From December, 2010. A little bit of local wine history:
A case of political games may affect the future of wine buying in Pennsylvania.
Earlier this month, Governor Ed Rendell named a CEO to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The move effectively cuts off the well-loved PLCB Chairman Jonathan Newman from the reigns of power he has enjoyed for the past four years.
The move was a surprise to most government insiders, including the chairman himself. Insiders within the statehouse claim that several members of Rendell’s team were dissatisfied with the level of oversight within the PLCB (read between the lines here, folks). The current talk in the field is whether or not Newman will remain in the PLCB. Most insiders believe Newman will leave within six months.
Whether the movement towards good pricing & customer service can continue without Newman at the helm is a complete unknown.
Well, the PLCB is not on track. The Chairmans selections have gone stale. The websites are not maintained as well as they were several months ago. I am not surprised but am disappointed.
What a shame!
Because of nonsense like this I will continue to purchase wines “over the border”. I use the excuse of visiting family in delaware…then I make them take me to “Total Wine ……..”
newman is gone ,the plcb will remain on it’s track
which means that the system will continue to lessen diversity of offerings ,concentrate focus on mass brands /industrial wines
the opportunity to purchase real ,high quality offering will remain to those willing to searh for specialty wines available from distributors
i am continually amazed that real wine consumers think that fine wines are only available at fair prices in other jurisdictions
Fast Eddie left Philly and is now starting trouble at the State level. If Newman and or his policies leave I will be off to Delaware every month!
Fast Eddie needs to back off!
Just as the Commonwealth begins to emerge from the Dark ages in its approach to satisfying the ever expanding needs of its wine consumers, government feels the need to poke its fingers into an area in which it has no business…..and is that the faint aroma of snakeoil emanating from the Governor’s manse in Harrisburg? Newman has done an admirable job and therefore learned the first lesson of politics a la the Keystone State…no good deed goes unpunished.