Prohibition Redux: Pennsylvania to Destroy Thousands of Bottles of Wine

Police sting found the owner was selling the wine out of his home

A Pennsylvania man’s extensive wine collection is on the verge of destruction.

The state plans to pour out thousands of bottles of wine, including many rare labels, after a police sting found the owner was selling the wine out of his home.

Pennsylvania is one of only two states where only the state is legally allowed to sell wine to the public, Bloomberg News reported.

Pennsylvania plans to destroy 2,447 bottles seized from Arthur Goldman, a Philadelphia-area lawyer who was charged this year with illegally reselling wine. While he has agreed to penalties, he’s fighting the jettisoning of his collection, which encompasses small-batch California producers such as Turley Wine Cellars, Martinelli Winery, and Kistler Vineyards.

Pennsylvania’s liquor code requires that wine seized by the state either be destroyed or donated to a hospital.

The state seized the wine after assigning undercover agents to conduct an investigation into whether Goldman was selling any of his collection.

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