Wine

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has approved an initial 81 wine expanded permits to allow supermarkets, restaurants and hotels to sell up to four bottles of wine to go per customer.

(File Photo)

The day when you can buy a bottle of Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Sauvignon at the grocery store in Pennsylvania is closer to reality.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today announced an initial 81 wine permits have been approved, allowing grocery stores, restaurants and hotels in the state to sell wine by the bottle. This is the first round of what could be several batches of permit approvals by the LCB.

The approvals come just one week after the agency made the new permit available. It received 174 requests.

"I don't know that we had any expectations," said Elizabeth Brassell, spokeswoman for the LCB. "It's a brand new world."

In June, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation that opened up wine sales to businesses that hold a hotel or restaurant license. The permits cost $2,000 in an application fee and allow businesses to sell up to four bottles of wine to go per consumer.

The new, 163-page law also allows for longer state liquor store hours and 24/7 beverage service at casinos. Residents also will be permitted to receive direct shipments of wine through the mail.

Those businesses that have received approval for the wine permits are allowed to immediately begin selling wine, given that the wine is available at the state's Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores.

However, there is one hitch. Those businesses - supermarkets, for example - that will be selling larger quantities of wine will have to wait longer, according to the LCB. The agency said it will begin shipping wine from distribution centers in October to those requesting larger volumes.

It really depends on what type of wines they want to sell, Brassell said, adding certain specialty wines require more time to order.

In central Pennsylvania, a handful of stores and restaurants received approval for the permits. They include:

Adams County

Giant Food Store at 44 Natural Springs in Gettysburg

Cumberland County

Black N Bleu Restaurant, 6108 Carlisle Pike, Hampden Twp.

Dauphin County

Giant Food Store, 2300 Linglestown Road, Susquehanna Twp.

Lancaster County

Belvedere Inn, 402 N. Queen St., Lancaster

York County

Holy Hound Taproom, 57 W. Market St., York

Giant Food Store, 2415 E. Market St., York

Otherwise, the entire list of the 81 approved permits, can be found here: