In most states, the greatest challenge to buying wine is convincing the clerk at the checkout that the face on the ID you present is really you. Pity the poor residents of Pennsylvania, who not only have to struggle with arcane regulations on the sale of alcohol, but now have to pass a high-tech exam by a Pronto wine vending machine before they can buy a bottle of wine at the grocery store.



The process is this: you step up to the wine vending machine in a grocery or general store, such as Walmart. The machine is linked via closed-circuit TV to the Liquor Control Board in the state capital of Reading, where a real, live employee (in what must be a mind-numbingly boring job) sits at a terminal. You scan your ID, usually your driver's license, and the state worker compares the image of you transmitted from the camera in the vending machine to the picture on your ID.

If he buys the match, you're halfway home.

Next, you must breath into a breathalyzer built into the machine. If the results show you aren't already half in the bag, you'll be permitted to buy that bottle of wine.

The wine vending machines, about the size of four soda vending machines, are an attempt by the state to meet the demands of its residents for more convenient sales of alcohol. Except for these machines, wine can only be purchased at state stores.

The wine vending machines, about the size of four soda vending machines, are an attempt by the state to meet the demands of its residents for more convenient sales of alcohol. Except for these machines, wine can only be purchased at state stores.

Who actually buys wine from convenient stores or chain stores? They are overly priced and really not that good (unless it's vastly different from over here).

I shudder to think what a $2 wine would taste like

Yeah, most of them suck, but some of them are actually quite good.

These are becoming very popular out here. Maybe you wine loving Pennsylvanians should consider investing in something like this.

http://tinyurl.com/2wu54r7

Most alcoholics I know love it.

I am intrigued by this whole idea of cheap wine thing. Got anything to suggest in the semi sweet white range?

Charles Shaw, commonly known as Two Buck Chuck, sold at Trader Joe's and I assume other places, puts out a decent table wine, not quite good but drinkable. They buy a lot of other vineyards over production that doesn't meet the home vineyard's standards, blend the wines to the standards of Chuck's tasters, then bottle it and send it out at $1.99 a bottle.

You want better quality, you buy a better brand, this is not meant to be high quality stuff you buy a case of and sit on it for your toddler's eventual wedding. This is stuff you open up and drink with your mate or buds for a simple every day dinner.

Most alcoholics I know love it.

Chain around here called Fresh n Easy that has some pretty good $2 wines :p