Pennsylvania May Destroy 2,426 Bottles of Fine Wine

Why? Because it entered the state without PLCB's approval.

You remember Arthur Goldman, the Chester County attorney accused of bootlegging after he was caught privately procuring and selling fine wines to his friends instead buying and shipping through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board? Well, the story has taken a strange turn: The state wants to destroy all 2,426 bottles of fine wine they seized from Goldman’s Malvern home in January.

Goldman’s lawyer says he’d be open to selling the wine and donating the proceeds to charity, the Inquirer reports.

But that’s not allowed under state law, according to Renee Martin, a spokeswoman from the Attorney General’s Office. Unlike with other kinds of forfeitures, such as cars that can be donated to a nonprofit or diamonds that can be sold with the money supporting law enforcement agencies, there is only one option with alcohol: destroying it.

The only consolation? The wine hasn’t been stored very well — it’s in a police evidence locker — since it was seized. It might not taste that great anymore.