Wine Institute Delegation Brings Key Priorities to Washington, D.C. at a Critical Moment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A delegation of Wine Institute vintners traveled to Washington, D.C., June 24 -26 to advocate for urgent federal action on key issues facing the U.S. wine sector. The group included a mix of senior winery leaders representing a diverse range of wineries from across the California wine community. Over the course of three days, the vintners met with 25 members of the House and Senate from 11 states, including three committee chairmen. The meetings centered on advancing priorities such as tariff elimination and market access, export promotion funding and science-based Dietary Guidelines.  

“Wine is a unique, value-added agricultural product that provides our vintners — who produce 80% of the nation’s wine — with a strong platform to secure meaningful outcomes,” said Robert P. Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute. “By engaging directly with decision-makers, we ensure that our economic impact and priorities are understood — whether it’s reopening the Canadian market, protecting the 1.1 million American jobs supported by California wine, or ensuring a transparent, science-based Dietary Guidelines process.” 

A central focus of the visit was restoring access for U.S. wines to Canadian store shelves. In meetings with federal lawmakers and representatives of the Ontario and Quebec premiers, the delegation underscored the vital role Canada plays as a top export market for California wines. 

“These meetings couldn’t have come at a more important time for our industry,” said Robin Baggett, proprietor of Alpha Omega Winery and Tolosa Winery and chairman of the Wine Institute Board of Directors. “From tariffs to access to the Canadian market, export funding and the Dietary Guidelines — we’re facing decisions that will significantly impact American wine. Having the opportunity to sit down face-to-face with lawmakers, share our story and make our case was invaluable.” 

As part of its longstanding tradition during the Washington visit, Wine Institute hosted a reception in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress, where members of Congress, staff and administration officials were invited to taste the very wines the delegation was advocating for. The evening provided an opportunity to continue conversations and to underscore how wine has long played a meaningful role in bringing people together — across tables, cultures and perspectives. 

Rounding out their time in Washington, the delegation met with senior officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service to advocate for continued investment in programs like the Market Access Program (MAP), which supports the global competitiveness of U.S. wines. The visit concluded at the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), where the group met with Administrator Mary Ryan. 

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About Wine Institute   

Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine.