H.R. 5034 hearing is postponed over concerns about impacts   

     The anticipated hearing on H.R. 5034 before the House Judiciary Committee was postponed indefinitely because of growing concerns by members that the bill was too expansive.  According to reports no new hearing date has been set.  The sponsoring wholesaler organizations are spinning the delay as typical congressional procedure.  Opposition by wine, beer and spirits producers, as well as consumers, appears to be getting some traction.

H.R. 5034 co-sponsors
       The current number of House of Representative co-sponsors of H.R. 5034, the beer wholesalers attempt to roll back direct shipping, has increased to 131.  The Rep. Mary Bono Mack has joined same three California congressional members that want to shackle their own wine industry remain on the list --
   Bob Filner (D-51)
   Gary Miller (R-42)
   Laura Richardson (D-37)
   Mary Bono Mack (R-45)

2010 assessment lowered

Pierce's Disease Board recommends European Grapevine Moth be designated as another winegrape pest

     The Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board voted this week to recommend to the California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary that the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) be designated a winegrape pest.  The action will allow the Board, with Secretary approval, to spend some of the industry assessment funds for either research or public outreach.  In the early stage of the infestation it appears that outreach is critical to alert all growers and residents.
     Additionally, the Board also set the assessment for the 2010 harvest.  The assessment rate was lowered to $.75 per $1,000 of value.

Family Winemakers opposes wholesaler-sponsored H.R. 5034

Congressional measure would hurt consumer choice in wine

     Family Winemakers of California (FWC) is opposed to federal legislation to strengthen state regulation of alcohol and lock in the three-tier monopoly structure because it will roll back progress made in creating market access for a multitude of small wine producers across the country.  H.R. 5034, sponsored by the National Beer Wholesalers Association, is a strategy designed to strangle litigation on direct shipping that has increased consumer choice in wine.
     FWC has spent the past 10 years working on direct shipping litigation on behalf of its 650 small producers to help wineries without distribution and a retail presence gain access to new consumers.  Litigation has been necessary because wholesalers have concentrated political power at the state level.  "A focused litigation effort over several years led to the Granholm decision in 2005.  Just recently Family Winemakers of California v. Jenkins overturned a production cap law in Massachusetts at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal.  Without the lever provided by the courts on facially neutral laws that discriminate we will see a concerted push to roll back direct shipping gains," said Paul Kronenberg, President of Family Winemakers of California.
     H.R. 5034 would fundamentally change the way discriminatory laws are challenged in court.  It would essentially allow the 21st Amendment, which gave the states the right to regulate alcohol, to trump the concerns of the Commerce Clause.  The burden of proof to challenge a facially neutral law that discriminates would be so narrow that litigation would wither and put interstate commerce in wine at jeopardy.
     The bill is a naked attempt to dominate the marketplace and change consumption patterns.  It puts at risk most of the 7,000 wineries in the nation.

Which wineries do direct-to-consumer sales?

Welcome to Family Winemakers of California's web site. The most value-added feature of the web site is our "Buying CA Wine" consumer map. Click there and you can simply find out if you live in a state that allows direct to consumer sales and more importantly, which Family Winemakers members are selling in your state. The list you'll find under each state will give you a direct link to that winery and its online store. Each state page contains valuable information for consumers buying wine.

Quick contact info

If you'd like to contact us you may do so by calling (916) 498-7500. Our fax number is (916) 498-7505.

Or write us a letter and mail it to:
Family Winemakers of California
520 Capitol Mall, Suite 260
Sacramento CA 95814
info@familywinemakers.org