The latest changes by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to the applause of Governor Wolf did not address how unrealistically hard it is to buy wine from out of state, writes Media resident Eric Annino in an op-ed for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

According to Annino, a contributing writer for Terroirist.com, a daily wine blog, and a former member of the winemaking team at Pennsylvania’s largest winery, the ridiculousness of the state’s archaic alcohol regulation is felt most profoundly by wine consumers.

The LCB controls on which wines can be sold and the restrictions on shipping wine directly to consumers from out of state leaves wine enthusiasts with little in the way of choice. Those who crave something different have to go to great lengths to acquire it.

There is third-party shipping, but it is rarely offered by wineries due to the cost. Customers can also special order through the LCB, but the wine must be purchased from a list of designated licensed Direct Wine Shippers and is limited to nine liters from a single DWS.

By far, the best option for consumers is to drive across the border to buy it. However, re-crossing the border with that purchase is still technically illegal, leaving many wine consumers fuming.

Read the entire opinion piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by clicking here.