That was made clear earlier this afternoon during the second of three hearings by the Senate Law and Justice Committee focused on the retail aspects of getting the state out of the business of selling alcohol.

A second hearing in front of Pennsylvania state senators Tuesday on the liberalization of wine, beer and liquor laws appeared to solidify support for legislation that would allow private-sector sales of wine and liquor, but would not end every aspect of state control.

If there appears to be a strong association between state control of liquor in Pennsylvania and a lack of personal control among Pennsylvania residents, and an association between no state control in neighboring states and stronger personal control, why are all these groups convinced that hell is privatization?

Temperatures are forecast to dip to the low to middle 30s, prompting a widespread frost advisory. A warmup is forecast starting Tuesday afternoon

Hudson Valley Wine Market on Main Street in Gardiner has the greatest inventory of homegrown Hudson Valley wines of any wine boutique. Owner Perry Goldschein, who purchased the business (formerly known as Enthusiastic Spirits) in January of 2013 from town supervisor Carl Zatz, said that he has "always enjoyed good wine."

"If you told me six months ago that I could find 40 lunatics to buy that wine, I would have told you you were crazy," said St. John Frizell, owner of Fort Defiance, a restaurant-bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

"The Upper Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association is excited about creating a wine trail in Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties, New York's newest wine region," said Gerry Barnhart, the association's acting chair, who owns Victory View Vineyard in Washington County.

Instead of promoting counties, Gov. Cuomo wants to promote regions--including those popular for wine tourism

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced Wine Week 2013 celebrations will kick off with The Wine Festival in Hershey, on Wednesday, May 8, followed by the Pittsburgh Wine Festival on Thursday, May 9 and the Philadelphia Wine + Food Festival on Friday, May 10. Each event will feature more than 600 wines and 100 vintners.

With a renewed focus on tourism in New York, the state's popular wine trails are on the verge of expanding as new wineries are eager to join. However, there is a bit of a roadblock in the State Assembly Transportation Committee as the bi-partisan bills needed to spur economic development have stalled.

American billionaire Leslie Alexander, an avid wine collector and owner of the Houston Rockets basketball team, is opening a new wine club and storage space in the Hamptons with a US$50,000 (£32,000) membership fee.

As the legislature grapples with the issue, a new poll suggests that support for shutting down Pennsylvania's state store system is slipping.

A longtime businesswoman and winery co-owner will be honored this week as a New York State Senate "woman of distinction."

Madill, who has worked in the Finger Lakes wine industry for 25 years, will divide his time between Sheldrake Point Winery, where he is general manager and winegrower, and Red Newt.

The Finger Lakes wine and tourism industry has become a driving force in our local economy. According to a study by Oxford Economics, in addition to creating over 50,000 jobs in the Finger Lakes, the industry has a $2.7 billion economic impact on our region.

Go ahead, make the jokes about New Jersey wine. They're so easy. But consider this: While you're sniggering about Tony Soprano and Snooki sipping spumante with notes of petroleum, people with more sophisticated taste - or maybe just those willing to think "outer coastal plain" instead of "New Jersey" - are leaning against a copper bar tasting an inviting Vidal Blanc.

The Pennsylvania Wine Society's annual monthly meeting this Friday will focus on the stories of 12 women who "broke the glass ceiling" and became winemakers in California.

Farmers, wineries, breweries, distilleries, creameries and other businesses offer numerous opportunities for eating and drinking local foods in the Finger Lakes and western New York.

Testimony at Tuesday's hearing told of liquor privatization as a harbinger of social chaos.

The liquor commission's decision effectively kills a decades-long relationship.