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SACRAMENTO, CA – May 12, 2026 – On Thursday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee will take action on AB 1585 (Connolly & Ransom). This bill would require any wine labeled “American” and sold or bottled in California to be made from 100% American-grown winegrapes.
If the Appropriations Committee approves AB 1585, it will advance to the full Assembly for a floor vote in the next two weeks. If the bill is not approved, it will no longer move forward this legislative session.
The bill has broad support across the wine industry, the agricultural community and public interest advocacy, including 18 regional wine and grape organizations, the Consumer Federation of California, California Farm Bureau, Allied Grape Growers, California Women for Agriculture, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, and nearly 400 individuals who have submitted letters in support of the legislation.
AB 1585 faces formal strong opposition from the Wine Institute, The Wine Group, Treasury Wine Estates, and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of California. While the bill previously passed its first committee hearing on a bipartisan 18–0 vote, the outcome in Appropriations is by no means guaranteed.
The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) and Family Winemakers of California, co-sponsors of AB 1585, have continued pushing back against inaccurate and misleading opposition claims about the bill and advocating for the measure as a commonsense truth-in-labeling standard that supports transparency, consumer trust, and the integrity of American wine.
For additional background on the legislation and the broader conversation surrounding the future of American wine, read CAWG’s recent Substack piece, “Kids from the Sticks, Defending the Legacy of American Wine.
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