State Sen. Jim Ferlo has proposed legislation allowing wineries in Pennsylvania and elsewhere to ship wine directly to Pennsylvania customers.

"Pennsylvania wine consumers would be given access to a broader selection of products and we would help maintain a healthy wine-making industry in our state. Both the consumer and industry would benefit," Mr. Ferlo said.

The legislation was inspired by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May and subsequent action by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board that will prohibit Pennsylvania wineries from shipping directly to consumers, effective Nov. 1.

There are 100 wineries in the state, and starting next month they can ship wine only to the 638 state liquor stores, where customers would pick it up and pay all applicable taxes.

The LCB imposed the same policy on in-state wineries that has been in place for out-of-state wineries, which currently are prohibited from shipping their products directly to a Pennsylvania consumer.

LCB Chairman Jonathan Newman said the state attorney general's office had advised him that the current state liquor code had to be changed, in light of a Supreme Court ruling in May regarding restrictive wine laws in New York and Michigan.

Pennsylvania law "is unconstitutional because it treats in-state wineries and out-of-state wineries different," Mr. Newman said. "The board has put an interim policy in place to comply with the Supreme Court's decision."

Mr. Ferlo said the restriction limits Pennsylvanians' ability to choose wines produced in the state and also hurts the wineries and vineyards.

"Our wineries stand to lose a lot of business this holiday season if we do not rectify this problem quickly," said Mr. Ferlo, who said he hopes his measure can be enacted before Nov. 1.