AB 1991 Signed Into Law, Giving California Wineries a New Consumer Research Tool

Wine Institute-sponsored measure gives wineries a better way to hear from consumers as they plan, invest and innovate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Wine Institute applauds Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of AB 1991, a Wine Institute-sponsored bill authored by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) that gives California wineries a new tool to better understand consumer preferences through sensory market research.

For wineries, responding to changes in consumer preferences is rarely as simple as adjusting a product overnight. Decisions ranging from what winegrapes to plant to the styles and blends of wine to create can require years of planning, significant investment and a long lead time before a product reaches customers. By creating a clear pathway for consumer tasting research, AB 1991 gives producers another valuable source of insight to help inform those decisions.

“In a marketplace that is changing rapidly, better insight can give wineries greater confidence about where to invest and innovate. AB 1991 provides a practical, responsible tool to help California producers better understand their consumers and make more informed decisions about the future. We’re proud to have sponsored this legislation and thank Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry for her leadership in advancing this important measure.”

— STEVE GROSS, President & CEO, Wine Institute

Sensory research is widely used across the food and beverage industry to evaluate consumer perceptions of characteristics such as aroma, flavor, balance, mouthfeel and overall appeal. AB 1991 allows licensed wineries and other alcoholic beverage producers to conduct this research under clearly defined safeguards, including requirements that participants be 21 or older and limitations designed to ensure tastings are conducted solely for legitimate market research purposes.

Wine Institute sponsored AB 1991 as part of its ongoing work to advance practical public policies that help California wineries adapt to a changing marketplace, invest with greater confidence and remain competitive. The measure was signed by Governor Newsom on September 18.