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Ron Bartizek

Time for Pa. to ripen its wine business Ron Bartizek Business LOCAL

In the vein of what’s old becoming new again, there’s a stirring in Pennsylvania’s fields and farms as wine lovers turn their attention from sipping to growing, vinifying and selling the fruit of the vine. The newest entrepreneurs, Bill and Denise Karlotski, in January opened a tasting room in Lehman Township for their Pavlick Hill brand. A recent event to introduce their first Cabernet Savignon drew a steady stream of curious customers who left happily with bottles tucked under their arms.

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Pavlick Hill is continuing a tradition that reaches back to 1683, when William Penn first planted vinifera vines, bringing European varietals to the New World. The Pennsylvania Vine Company was reported to be the first commercial vineyard in the U.S. when it opened in 1793.

According to the United States Department of Commerce, the Karlotskis’ new business is like most others in the state – “The vast majority of Pennsylvania’s wineries are very small,” a report published last June noted. Small but mighty; Commerce also found that Pennsylvania is the fifth largest producer of wine grapes in the nation.

And like a sturdy Chardonnay vine, Pennsylvania’s wine industry is growing, with the number of wineries jumping to 137 in 2006, an increase of 57 in only three years. Those were the last figures available and the total surely has swelled since.

Wine growers do more than produce enjoyable beverages, they provide jobs, attract tourists to their tasting rooms, and buy supplies and services from other nearby businesses. According to a study commissioned in 2005 by the Pennsylvania Winery Association, wine producing accounted for more than 5,000 jobs, a factor of eight over those working directly in vineyards and wineries.

The study also found that Pennsylvania could do a lot more to boost the fortunes of the fledgling industry. Not only does the state provide minimal financial support, the state-controlled retail liquor store system will pay only about half price for Keystone State wines. It also restricts online sales, reducing the potential customer base to those who find their way to wineries where they can buy directly.

This is not the way to help this potentially lucrative industry thrive. Other states nurture their wineries and the result is a steady stream of visitors to wine-growing regions who stay in local hotels, eat in local restaurants and gas up at local service stations. Winery owners are trying their best by promoting attractions like the nascent Endless Mountain Wine Trail, but their resources are limited.

Pennsylvania’s viticultural entrepreneurs have done an admirable job of reviving a state heritage and building the base for job creation in a field that has benefits beyond dollars and cents. Vineyards and wineries preserve open space, promote conservation and pollute little. It’s time some of the $500 million in revenue the state liquor sales system brags about making each year was sprinkled on the fertile industry that has proven durable enough to survive longer than the nation itself.

Ron Bartizek, Times Leader business editor, may be reached at rbartizek@timesleader.com or 570-970-7157.