A bottle labeled “American” wine can legally contain up to 25% foreign-grown juice.
California’s winegrape growers tried to change that this year with Assembly Bill 1585, which would have required 100% American fruit for the American label. It passed the Assembly 67 to 0, then died in the California Senate without a hearing.
Natalie Collins, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), joins Keely to explain what happened, the big players who opposed the bill, and why it mirrors the country of origin labeling fight in beef.
They also cover the state of California wine: tens of thousands of acres of vineyards pulled out, 600,000 tons of grapes left unpicked last year, rising bulk wine imports, falling consumption, and a collapse in exports to Canada.
Collins lays out what comes next, including a federal petition, and what to look for on the label to know you’re supporting American growers.
Show Notes:
California Association of Winegrape Growers: www.cawg.org
Instagram: California Winegrape Growers
Shop: California wine merch
Sponsored by RanchVision, the software ranchers use to boost profits and make better decisions: ranchvision.io
Special thanks to Josh Woolwine for creating our intro. Follow Josh at www.instagram.com/hjwoolwine.
