Family Winemakers of California was formed in response to a need for the small wine producers voice to be heard in public policy decisions. The association is structured on a one-winery, one-vote basis to ensure that all viewpoints are considered in policy positions.
Our Mission Family Winemakers of California advocates the rights and interests of its members to freely produce, market and sell their products, and is dedicated to preserving the broad diversity of the California wine industry.
In fulfilling its mission, the association has sponsored legislation in the past six years to expand the ability of wineries, particularly small producers, to compete in the marketplace. Additionally, FWC has taken a leadership role in pushing and funding the litigation strategy to open up domestic markets for direct-to-consumer wine sales. That investment resulted in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned discriminatory laws in Michigan and New York.
Litigation Activity
Filed an amicus brief in the Indiana case appeal in 2007 to preserve a lower court decision that declared face-to-face transactions unconstitutional in direct shipping.
Sued Massachusetts over its 30,000 gallon production cap shipping requirement.
Supported and funded the U.S. Supreme Court case to allow direct-to-consumer wine shipments by wineries.
Helped fund the merits brief on the combined Michigan & New York case
Helped fund Stanford University Law School Dean Kathleen Sullivan as counsel for the oral argument
Helped fund Pepperdine University Law School Dean Ken Starr’s involvement on overall strategy and drafting of circuit court of appeal briefs
Helped fund the national industry amicus brief on impact to wineries
Organized the regional associations amicus brief on the history of the 21st Amendment
Helped fund numerous moot court sessions for circuit court appeals and the Supreme Court argument
Filed amicus briefs on behalf of Family Winemakers of California and small producers in Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, New York, Virginia and Texas.
Helped fund intervener briefs in a case challenging California’s Pierce’s Disease Control Program
Helped fund a broad industry effort to prevent the listing of the California Tiger Salamander as endangered.
In 2006, Family Winemakers sued Massachusetts over new legislation that discriminates among wineries by size and limits who can apply for a direct shipping permit.
Legislative Activity
Sponsoring SB 157 (Wiggins), which creates a uniform and expanded list of non profits that can hold wine tastings where wine can be donated and poured, and orders taken.
Sponsored SB 108 (Wiggins) which expanded the number of non-profit wine tasting events where orders can be taken.
Supoorted AB 323 (Evans) in 2007 to allow custom crush producers to donate and pour wine at nonprofit tasting events.
Supported nondiscriminatory direct shipping in Florida in 2006 & 2007; advocacy kept state open to shipping without production cap.
Supported SB 1380 (Chesbro) to protect Sonoma wine labels.
Sponsored SB 118 (Chesbro) to convert California's reciprocal wine shipping law to a permit system that will broaden consumer choice in domestically produced wine.
Cosponsored SB 1650 (Chesbro) to allow winegrape growers to vote on extending the industry assessment that supports Pierce’s disease research
Sponsored SB 88 (Chesbro) to allow wineries to sell bottled wine at qualifying non-profit events
Sponsored AB 1505 (Wiggins) to allow wineries to take orders at wine tastings for later delivery
Cosponsored AB 1394 (Wiggins) to form the California Pierce’s Disease Control Program
Sponsored AB 2420 (Thomson) to allow wineries to sell bottled wine at certified farmers’ markets
Family Winemakers also assists its members in marketing their wines by organizing two wine tastings each year. One is in the Southern California market for the wine trade. The other is our annual San Francisco tasting that just completed its 17th year. The San Francisco event is a two-day event in which consumers can attend the first day. The tastings allow small producers to cost effectively reach the wine buying trade.
Wine Flash!
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