A week ago, Congress left town for the Presidents’ Day recess (another recess!) after funding most of the government except the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE).
The reason: An impasse over ICE’s operations, following developments in Minneapolis as well as other cities. As always, this issue devolved into the blame game: Democrats said Republicans are putting the nation at risk by refusing reasonable changes to ICE’s behavior, while Republicans faulted Democrats for being unreasonable themselves by their willingness to shut down DHS, even though ICE already has $75 billion, and the Department also includes other important agencies like the Coast Guard, FEMA (disaster relief), and TSA (screeners and air traffic controllers), meaning air travel will be affected.
Forget about who’s right or wrong. The bigger issue is that shutdowns may become the new normal. The longest one in history (43 days) happened just at the end of last year, and here we are again, even though this is a “mini” version affecting only one agency.
The point is that shutdowns, which hurt everyone, seem to have become the new bargaining chip in DC, which is a very dangerous development. This is not a poker game; it’s our country.
Our government runs out of money at midnight Tuesday, meaning it shuts down. And what is Congress doing about it? Staying home until Monday, October 6.
What we learned in civics class was pure fantasy—the noble concept “of the people, by the people, for the people”--unless by “people” you just mean elected officials. Creating a national budget is one of the top responsibilities of Congress, and yet they fail virtually every year, playing the blame game of finger-pointing. Meanwhile, we suffer.
WineAmerica had planned to host a Congressional Wine Reception to celebrate the great Come Over October celebration on the 8th, but that is now off.
We will let you know when the lights come back on.
Shutdown Showdown?: If it’s September, it’s time for this annual Washington drama, a manufactured crisis of political theater that typically lasts right up until the deadline (midnight, September 30), That’s when the government would run out of money unless Congress passes (and the President signs) a “Continuing Resolution” (CR, in DC lingo) that extends the old budget until they eventually create a new one. The last “on time” budget was passed when Bill Clinton was President, meaning that both Democrat and Republican administrations have consistently failed. Stay tuned for the 2025 theatrics!
Hemp High?: Can you have THC-infused products shipped to your mailbox without any onsite ID proof necessary? Yes, thanks to a 2018 Farm Bill glitch that legalized hemp, including (unwittingly) the same THC that is also derived from marijuana. So…while alcohol and marijuana are both highly regulated, hemp is not at all. As a result, Congress is working on reclassifying intoxicating hemp products to be consistent with traditional marijuana projects, a change which WineAmerica supports. WineAmerica members have received a full description of this situation via Michael Kaiser’s weekly e-newsletter. Join today to stay informed.
“Cheers to Wine!” The positive news from DC is that WineAmerica will again be hosting a special Come Over October wine reception in conjunction with the Congressional Wine Caucus, this year on Wednesday, October 8. COO is a great celebration of wine as the beverage that brings us together, and who needs that more than Congress?! Thanks to the efforts of WineAmerica’s Michael Kaiser and our COO friends, we’ll have wines from around the country to share with members of Congress and their staff, along with Administration officials and media. The COO team of Karen MacNeil, Kimberly Charles, and Gino Colangelo will also be on hand to spread the cheers. To get involved in the month-long Come Over October promotion, click HERE.
Second-Year Sponsorship Highlights American Wine Industry’s Economic Impact and Community Building Mission
WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, announced today its proud sponsorship of the 2025 Come Over October Congressional Wine Caucus press conference and reception, taking place on October 8th in Washington, D.C. This marks the second consecutive year WineAmerica has supported this important invitation-only industry event, demonstrating the organization’s continued commitment to fostering bipartisan support for America’s burgeoning wine industry.
The reception will showcase wines from across many states, celebrating the breadth, diversity and quality of American wine production from coast to coast. This comprehensive representation underscores the truly national scope of the American wine industry, which now includes 10,637 wine producers operating in every state.
Economic Powerhouse Supporting American Communities
WineAmerica’s sponsorship comes as new data from the organization’s 2025 Economic Impact Study reveals the extraordinary contribution of the wine industry to the American economy. The American wine industry generates close to $323.55 billion in total economic activity, supporting 1.75 million jobs nationwide with an average annual wage of $58,400 in wages and benefits.
The study highlights several key economic drivers:
- Job Creation: The wine industry provides good jobs, paying an average of $58,400 in annual wages and benefits. The total wages generated by direct, indirect, and induced economic activity driven by the wine industry are $102.14 billion.
- Tourism Impact: America’s “wine country” regions will generate 74 million tourist visits and $14.13 billion in annual tourism expenditures, benefiting local economies and tax bases.
- Tax Revenue: The industry generates over $53.24 billion in federal, state, and local taxes ($46.04 billion in business taxes plus $7.20 billion in consumption taxes), providing crucial funding for public services and infrastructure.
- Agricultural Preservation: The industry maintains 763,080 acres of vineyards, preserving agricultural land and supporting sustainable farming practices.
Early and Committed Advocacy Partner
WineAmerica has been an avid and early supporter of the Come Over October campaign since its inception. The organization recognizes the campaign’s vital role in building authentic connections within the wine community and promoting the social and cultural significance of wine in American life. WineAmerica President Jim Trezise shared, “Come Over October” is a perfect example of why the wine community is so special—people working together to advance the common good. In a challenging time for the wine industry, three top wine communication professionals pooled their creativity and volunteered their time to elevate the magic of wine on an international scale. We at WineAmerica were honored to play a supporting role by amplifying the message and hosting the Congressional wine reception toasting this collaborative spirit. Many thanks to Karen MacNeil, Kimberly Noelle Charles, and Gino Colangelo for bringing us all together. Cheers!
The Come Over October campaign has achieved remarkable success, with the 2024 inaugural initiative reaching an estimated 1.7 billion unique visitor impressions and engaging over 10 million people through diverse channels nationwide.
Industry Leadership Perspectives
The collaboration between WineAmerica and Come Over October represents a shared commitment to advancing American wine culture through authentic community building and advocacy. Come Over October’s co-founding team share their thoughts here:
“The American wine industry is based on a value system of generosity, connection, and respect for Nature. Wine is the ultimate authentic beverage–a beverage that throughout history has inspired people to come together, creating new friendships and deepening old ones,” said Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, and co-founder of Come Over October.
“We are deeply grateful for the ongoing partnership with WineAmerica, who was among the first to put up their hand in support of the concept when we launched Come Over October in the spring of 2024. Their modus operandi is to collaborate, uplift and amplify which is what our beloved wine industry needs most and what our spirit represents with the campaign.” Kimberly Noelle Charles, President of Charles Communications Associates and co-founder of Come Over October.
“Support from WineAmerica has been invaluable in helping us reach millions of Americans with positive messages about wine,’ said Gino Colangelo, president of Colangelo & Partners (www.colangelopr.com) and co-founder of the Come Over October campaign. ‘We share a common mission: To promote wine culture in the US, thereby supporting American wineries and encouraging moderate consumption of this most special beverage.”
Continued Industry Support
Come Over October 2025 extends gratitude to its sponsors, whose support has been essential to the campaigns’ success. In addition to the sponsorship at the Benefactor level of this reception by WineAmerica, Foundational sponsors include: Freixenet Mionetto, J.Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Jackson Family Wines and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Benefactors include CMB Family of Wines, Constellation Brands, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, The Wine Group, Total Wine & More, and wine.com. Other financial sponsors include Boisset Collection, Crimson Wine Group, Far Niente Wine Estates, Napa Valley Vintners, Peju Napa Valley, Ponzi Vineyards, Rodney Strong, and Wilson Daniels. Media sponsors include: The Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Tasting Panel, Somm Journal, Wine Business Monthly, VinePair, The Vintner Project, and Wine Industry Network. For more information on how to become a supporter or advocate visit www.cometogetherforwine.com/support-the-movement/. To inquire further about the reception, contact info@comeoveroctober.com.
While Congress is in its long August recess, there’s still work to be done in DC on the regulatory front. Executive Vice President and Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael Kaiser submitted two long, detailed documents to the federal Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) about the possible addition of information on wine labels.
Specifically, the two issues involved the possibility of “Alcohol Facts” statements on the labeling of wine, spirits and beer; and the possibility of “Major Food Allergen” labeling. WineAmerica’s overall position: “WineAmerica is in favor of both allergen and ingredient disclosure, as long as it is done in a way that is not harmful to the American wine industry. Only agents that are detectable in the finished product should need to be disclosed by a producer. Additionally, as we stated in our comments for Notice 237, an off-label, web-based disclosure is the best option for the wine industry. This is already occurring in the European Union and should naturally be an option for our producers.
WineAmerica also made clear that in the first instance, the information should be described as “SERVING FACTS” rather than “ALCOHOL FACTS” to avoid confusion. In addition, WineAmerica urged TTB “to bear in mind that the 10,000+ American wineries are predominantly small family farms with very limited resources, and that $1600 per label and $500 per product test would be a major financial burden.”
At the same time, FIVS, the global voice of the wine sector, filed similar comments on behalf of the international wine community. FIVS is essentially an international version of WineAmerica, with wine producers and associations from around the world tracking developments on a global level. WineAmerica has always been a strong supporter of FIVS, and its current co-president is Charles Jefferson, vice president of government affairs at Wine Institute.
Julie Hesketh-Laird, CEO of FIVS, said, “Wine labeling rules must adapt to the expectations of today’s consumers and the realities of a modern, digital economy. E-labeling offers a smarter, more flexible way to provide accurate, relevant information, while opening new opportunities for international trade and engagement. This approach creates shared value for consumers, producers, retailers, and regulators.” For FIVS “Good Regulatory Practices for Electronic Labeling, visit https://grco.de/FIVSPrinciples
By last Friday’s deadline, the TTB had received about 13,000 comments from various sources. While these are potentially important issues for the wine industry, we do not expect any significant action in the foreseeable future, and we will keep WineAmerica members fully updated. Any member who wants a copy of the filings may contact Michael Kaiser (mkaiser@wineamerica.org). They are 4, and 9, pages respectively.
The magic of wine is in every bottle, each a unique blend of colors, aromas, flavors, and stories.
I live on Keuka Lake just outside of Penn Yan, NY. Keuka (CUE-kah) lies in the heart of the 11 Finger Lakes, is shaped like a Y with two northern branches, and is the only lake in the world which flows both north and south into outlets that flow to other waterways.
Penn Yan, incorporated in 1833, stands for Pennsylvania Yankee, reflecting the two groups of migrants who settled here and collegially compromised on a shortened version of their combined origins. PY, as we call it, has a bit over 5,000 residents in a county with about 20,000, many of them horse-and-buggy Mennonites who produce wonderful food, quilts, buggies, bikes, buildings, and much else.
Keuka Lake is home to about a dozen superb wineries and lots of wine history. When I don’t have time to winery-hop, I go to Hoban’s in town, a small wine and spirits store with an excellent selection of local wines and many others from around the world. I always start with a couple local selections, then ask about others from different states and countries. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful.
Every bottle, from anywhere, has a different color, texture, aroma, taste, and story. So in this small store in a small town, there are hundreds of different sensory experiences and colorful stories of geography, geology, climate, grape varieties, vintages, family history and much more.
That incredible diversity is part of wine’s magic, and also what makes judging in 300 wine competitions a new experience each time, exploring new vintages, varietals, and wine styles.
Wine has been around for 8,000 years. And the reason it lasts is because it’s always new.
WineAmerica’s website has lots more about The Magic of Wine.
It’s baaaaaack!
The incredibly successful “Come Over October” campaign is once again inviting the international wine community to celebrate with the beverage that brings us all together.
Everyone is invited, and now is the time to get started by planning for a dozen curated suggestions:
–Game Day gatherings with wine and snacks
–Best Friend nights centered around cooking dinner together
–Neighborhood Potlucks that build community connections
–Leaves Changing Color celebrations with white, red, and rose tastings after autumn walks
–At-home wine tasting parties for old and new friends
–Wine Book Club gatherings that combine reading with regional wine exploration
–Renewed Sunday Supper traditions
–End of October costume parties featuring bewitching wines
–TGIF Wine and Cheese gatherings after work
–Love Your Local Winery visits to support the wineries in all 50 states
And you can even create your own themes!
The inaugural 2024 Come Over October campaign, which WineAmerica strongly supported, delivered remarkable results, reaching about 1.7 billion unique visitor impressions and engaging over 10 million people through diverse channels. The campaign generated significant momentum with 4 million social media impressions, reached 1 million consumers through in-store traffic across 900+ retail locations, and achieved 3 million advertising impressions.
The incredible COO promotion was created by three top wine communicators: Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, Kimberly Noelle Charles of Charles Communications, and Gino Colangelo of Colangelo & Partners. Not content to wait a year between promotions,they also created “Share & Pair Sundays” that lasted throughout the spring, with similar success.
The Come Over October team has put together a compilation of activations at retail, tasting room, online and beyond from the successful 2024 campaign. You can read through success stories and inspiration here and contact Barbara Fitzgerald, Project Manager to schedule a brainstorming session or get more involved. Email is barbara@
WineAmerica again strongly supports this inspiring promotion as a great reminder of the friendship and joy that wine brings to us all. Discover more about the Come Over October campaign—and start planning now.
And if you don’t believe me, then just listen to what Pink has to say!
(The concept and ideas involved with this promotion are those of its creators and not necessarily those of WineAmerica or its members.)
Researchers at the USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station—working in partnership with Virginia Tech, Penn State, Rutgers University, and others—are leading a multi-state initiative, Areawide Management of the Invasive Spotted Lanternfly and Tree of Heaven. This project aims to suppress populations of both invasive species to improve ecosystem health, reduce insecticide use in vineyards, protect pollinators, and minimize crop losses.
Your input is vital. Help guide this important research by taking a brief survey about how Spotted Lanternfly is—or could—impact your business as it spreads. Your responses will help shape future management strategies. Take the survey now.
Wine is so simple…and so complex.
It’s just fermented grape juice. But its magic—color, aroma, taste, and pure pleasure—depend on myriad factors like grape variety, region, vintage, sugar-acid-pH ratios, picking dates, winemaker decisions, and so much more. It’s a perfect blend of art and science, and one of life’s greatest pleasures.
It’s also a source of 1,750,363 jobs, including nearly 50,000 in agriculture that are not even directly related to winery employment. In the Supplier category there are 41,551 agricultural jobs, and another 7,523 in the Induced category. The American wine industry is first and foremost a farming industry that could not exist without a large, skilled and dedicated labor force as well as the trellises, tractors, harvesters, and supplies needed to grow good grapes that make great wine at a reasonable price.
There are 10,761 wine producers and 763,080 vineyard acres in the United States, and all 50 states produce and consume wine, which generates $323.55 billion to our economy. Enlightened legislators understand that our industry has growth potential, and will help that be realized if they know these facts. Please help spread the word.
For WineAmerica’s 2025 National Economic Impact Study of the Wine Industry, click HERE.
For more ways that wine is magic, click HERE.