California Ag Network

Tag: direct-to-consumer wine sales

  • Sonoma County Wine Industry Set to Unify

    Recognizing that current challenges also present an opportunity to build a stronger future, Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) and Sonoma County Vintners (SCV) announced the alignment of their winery membership programs to strengthen collaboration and create a more unified voice for Sonoma County wine.

    The announcement follows months of meetings by a wine industry task force established by the boards of SCW and SCV to explore how best to serve the local wine community, improve efficiencies and eliminate duplication of programs. The findings of a survey of nearly 100 local vintners helped provide direction to the task force as a clear majority of vintners “supported” or “strongly supported” exploring integration of the two organizations’ memberships to provide a more unified voice for Sonoma County. Both boards have approved the strategic path forward.   

    “The response we received from our members to integrate into a single organization was overwhelmingly positive.  This new effort should greatly help in promoting Sonoma County wines, increase visitation to Sonoma County wineries, and grow direct-to-consumer sales,” said Prema Kerollis, co-founder and president of Three Sticks Wines and chair of the Sonoma County Vintners board of directors.   She added, “While there were some big decisions that had to be made, it was abundantly clear that the Sonoma County wine community is better together.”

    Specifically, SCV will merge with SCW’s Winery Collaborative to create a new Sonoma County Wine membership for wineries beginning in 2027.

    SCW’s Winery Collaborative focuses on expanding market opportunities for Sonoma County wines through national marketing initiatives, strategic partnerships, and innovative, non-traditional marketing channels. SCV actively promotes Sonoma County wineries through educational programming, regional and international marketing initiatives, and services that help strengthen winery visibility and business success.

    Together, the new Sonoma County Wine membership will provide wineries with a more comprehensive suite of marketing opportunities, educational resources, strategic partnerships, and industry collaboration under a single membership.

    “Our goal is simple: to ensure Sonoma County remains one of the most respected and competitive wine regions in the world,” said Emilie Eliason, interim executive director of Sonoma County Vintners.  She added, “This is an exciting proactive, strategic approach to combat the challenges ahead together to drive demand for our wines and elevate the region.”

    Both organizations emphasized that the new direction reflects a shared commitment to long-term sustainability, both economically and structurally, for the Sonoma County wine industry.

    “Facing the realities of today’s market, our growers and vintners came together with a single purpose to explore merging resources to strengthen our efforts and speak with one unmistakable voice for Sonoma County wine,” said Karissa Kruse, chief executive officer of Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “This is a natural evolution given today’s global challenges and the result will make our efforts to promote the Sonoma County wine region more effective.”

    The Sonoma County Winegrowers, which represents approximately 1,800 grape growers, is a state marketing commission established by a vote of winegrape growers and funded by grower assessments while the Sonoma County Vintners, representing the region’s wineries,  is a voluntary trade association that is funded by membership dues paid by wineries.

    “This is an exciting new chapter for our industry.  Unification makes sense and has the potential to benefit the entire wine region while securing the future for wine in Sonoma County,” said Bret Munselle, a fifth-generation winegrower with Munselle Vineyards and chairman of the Sonoma County Winegrowers. — Story contributed by Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners

  • New Bill To Help Small Wineries Sell Wine & Offer Tastings At California Farmers Markets

    State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 917 on January 27th that will create opportunities for small winemakers to connect with consumers face-to-face by expanding who can sell wine and offer tastings at certified farmers markets.

    “California’s wine industry is facing one of the most difficult periods in decades,” said Laird. “Small wineries are closing, vineyards are being removed, and growers are leaving fruit on the vine. This bill is about giving family-scale winemakers a fair chance to connect directly with consumers, while maintaining strong public safety standards.”

    Sponsored by the Family Winemakers of California and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, SB 917 modernizes existing law governing Type 79 farmers market wine permits to better reflect today’s wine economy and help small producers reach new consumers.

    “Independent, family-owned wineries are essential to California’s wine identity and are where innovation, sustainability, and authenticity thrive,” said GinaLisa Tamayo, Chair of the Family Winemakers of California Board of Directors. “Expanding access to farmers market sales is critical for small businesses who rely on direct-to-consumer opportunities and this bill provides a fair and accessible pathway for small producers to compete and thrive.”

    “Vine-to-glass speaks to the farm-to-fork and ‘buy local’ sentiment that brings folks to their farmers market,” said Michael Miiller, Director of Government Relations for the California Association of Winegrape Growers. “We are happy to work with Senator Laird on this important issue and thank him for his leadership.”   

    Under current law, winemakers may only sell wine at farmers markets if it is produced exclusively from “estate-grown” grapes, meaning all grapes must be grown on-site. This requirement excludes many small and boutique wineries that responsibly source grapes from California growers. In addition, existing law limits instructional tastings to only one Type 79 permit holder per farmers market, regardless of market size or capacity.

    Laird’s legislation would allow non-estate wineries to sell wine at farmers markets, which will ensure equitable market access for the over 700 winegrowers in Senate District 17 and empower farmers markets to decide how many permit holders to allow. It will also encourage consumers to buy locally made wine, supporting small businesses and regional economic growth.

    “Farmers markets are one of the most effective ways for small producers to tell their story, educate consumers, and build loyal customer relationships,” Laird said. “By removing outdated barriers and trusting local market operators, we can support small wine businesses, strengthen local economies, and preserve California’s agricultural heritage.”