(SACRAMENTO, CA)  Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Wine, introduced Assembly Bill 892 to protect California wine.

“California has the best wines in the world,” says Evans.  “This bill will help protect the California name.  Consumers must get in the bottle what they read on wine labels.”

AB 892 places the enforcement of the “California Appellation” within the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).  Under current law, all American Viticultural Area (AVA) rules and standards – such as the appellations for Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Monterey County – are enforced by ABC.  The “California Appellation,” or wines from California grapes, is the exception.  It is enforced by the state Department of Health Services.

“Enforcement of our wine labeling laws will improve if one agency is charged with the task,” adds Evans.  “Through improved enforcement, we can bolster ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of wine produced in California.”

Consistent with existing law, violations of AB 892 would enable ABC to suspend or revoke the license of any person who produces wine under the California label if the wine is not made from 100 percent fermented juice derived from grapes grown in California.

According to a December report by the Wine Institute and California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), California’s wine industry has an annual impact of $51.8 billion on the state’s economy.  Wine is also the state’s number one finished agricultural product.

AB 892 is sponsored by CAWG.  Coauthors include Senator Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, and Assemblymembers Tom Berryhill (R-Modesto) and Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton).

Further information about this legislation will be available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.