Oregon wineries – or at least some of them – will soon (starting August 8, although of course the state must create licensing and permit requirements) be able to ship wines directly to consumers in Pennsylvania soon. Producing wineries will have the ability to ship up to 36 cases annually per consumer (not address), but with many extra caveats, of course. Those of you who have obtained other DtC permits know to expect random reporting requirements and tax collection. Pennsylvania looks to be no different.

First, this will be for producing wineries only (no custom crush wineries – remember that Oregon is peculiar and generous by considering all of us wineries, while other states like Texas limit their permits to producing wineries, or “BW” status wineries). But the way I read the bill, a BW with custom crush clients could obtain a license and then send those wines – presumably already on the BW’s permit, for labeling purposes – over to a happy Harrisburg household.

The fee will be $250 (fairly standard in my opinion) annually. The licensee must also receive a Sales Tax License. Sales tax will be frustrating to track, of course – sales tax of 6% and appropriate local sales tax and the an additional $2.50 per gallon to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

Reporting, the great bug of this process, will be annual, not monthly. This is awesome.

Keep your eyes, but not your grapes, peeled!