January 2026

California Vine Lines is a bimonthly publication of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to offer policymakers a snapshot of what is occurring in the grape-growing and wine industry. Please click on any of the links for more information about the issues highlighted below.

YOU’RE INVITED: Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, created in 1995 through a partnership between the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, has grown into the nation’s largest wine and grape conference. This year’s event will take place Tuesday, January 27, through Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Sacramento’s SAFE Credit Union Convention Center.

Please join us on Wednesday, January 28, at 4:00 pm, for a unique opportunity to taste wines poured from many of America’s regional grower and vintner organizations. Tour the trade show floor for an educational opportunity to explore grape growing and wine making with those in the business.

Complementary guest passes for the Regional Wine Tasting on the Trade Show Floor are available. To receive your guest pass, please send an email to Jenny@cawg.org and put Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Trade Show Pass Request in the subject line.

Outdated State Rules Holding Back Farming

Cal/OSHA's safety regulation prevents autonomous vehicles on California farms. This regulation directly affects California's Winegrape Growers, impeding their ability to compete with automated farms across the U.S. and internationally. A recent opinion piece from the California Association of Winegrape Growers in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat states, "Without modernization, this economic cornerstone will continue to shrink, costing jobs, local revenue and long-term competitiveness."

Can We Save Wine from Wildfires?

The industry has lost billions of dollars, largely because smoke makes the drink taste like licking an ashtray. Now a team of scientists is chasing a solution.

The West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force originated from discussions between winegrape growers, winemakers, wine/winegrape industry leaders (including CAWG), as well as related industry entities from California, Oregon, and Washington. The task force held its first in-person meeting in July 2019. Since that time, the task force has convened educational webinars and produced reference materials to assist growers and winemakers with specific challenges associated with smoke-exposed winegrapes.

Bail out the Wine Industry?

Republican and Democratic members of California'scongressional district, as well as others, are collaborating to get help to the struggling California wine industry. California’s vintners should get in on the bailout. They’ve lost millions because fewer people – particularly those in Canada and elsewhere – are drinking less wine. There are also more foreign wines coming into the state.

Nationally, wine growers contribute an estimated $32.3 billion to the economy with millions of jobs tied to the viticulture industry, and our wineries and grape growers are part of California’s cultural legacy that has defined some of our counties, and led to multi-cultural family businesses.

World of Wine Set to Change

Vino is now part of pop culture and the sports world (check out Kendall-Jackson’s new NBA-label wines), as well as a main character in films such as the Netflix romcom Champagne Problems. Season two of hit wine series Drops of God will drop on Apple TV on 21 January. And as old ideas of fine wine rapidly shift, “make wine fun again” is the new zeitgeist.

Three Wine Economics Questions for 2026

It is no secret that 2025 was a tough year for the wine business, both here in the U.S. and around the world. There are bright spots, of course, but the thousands of acres of winegrapes that went unharvested last year are a clear sign of trouble, as is the continuing removal of vines and conversion of vineyards to other uses. The question is how we will navigate the traps and trade-offs of a complex, highly indebted, rapidly evolving economy.

The Top 10 Wine Stories and Trends of 2025

As 2025 dissolved into 2026, it’s worth looking at the major trends in the U.S. Wine industry. We could call the following the “top wine stories” of the year, but that designation doesn’t capture the general nature of the trends. Serious developments defined the wine news of 2025.

About the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG)

Founded in 1974, CAWG stands as the statewide advocate for winegrape growers, representing the interests of California's winegrape industry. Our mission is to foster collaboration and advocate for policies that ensure the continued success of this economically vital industry.

California Association of Winegrape Growers

1121 L Street, Suite 304 • Sacramento, CA 95814 • www.cawg.org

Michael Miiller, Director of Government Relations

michael@cawg.org • (916) 379-8995 or (916) 204-0485