AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WINE ECONOMISTS AAWE WORKING PAPER No. 109 Business THE PENNSYLVANIA WINE MONOPOLY Robert P. Sechrist June 2012 www.wine-economics.org ISSN 2166-9112 The Pennsylvania Wine Monopoly1 Robert P. Sechrist 1 The data for this study were obtained from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The cooperation of LCB staff in providing the data is gratefully acknowledged. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board divides its fiscal year, which begins on July 1st, into thirteen cycles of twenty-eight days. Data on wine sales were obtained from the Pennsylvania LCB. Each data record identified the selling store, wine, and number of units (bottles) sold over 26 cycles beginning September 20, 2000 and ending September 17, 2002. Demographic, housing, and economic data used were collected by the US Census Bureau in 2000 during the Decennial Census. Economic census data were collected in 1997 during the most recent economic census series conducted by the Census Bureau. The Pennsylvania Wine Monopoly, 2000-2002 Robert P. Sechrist, Professor Department of Geography & Regional Planning Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana Pennsylvania, 15705 Tel: +1.724.357.2250 E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract Wine for home consumption in Pennsylvania is, with the exclusion of winery sales, purchased from the state owned monopoly stores. The flow of wine from its sources, through the Pennsylvania monopoly system and to the consumer is tracked in this study. Volumes and values of wine from around the world are compared in the Pennsylvania marketplace. The popularity of many types, varieties, and styles of wine are compared. Seasonality of consumer preference is discussed.