Monterey County winemakers get boost from new state law

Tuesday Monterey County winemakers got a glimmer of economic hope as Governor Brown signed AB 394.

The bill authored by central coast Assemblyman Mark Stone will help promote small and local wine-making businesses on the central coast.

The new law requires that Monterey County wines are labeled to identify the region where they are produced.

“Winemaking is an important sector of our local Monterey County economy. Vintners and vineyards provide jobs, attract tourists, and create high-quality products that make our region special,” said Stone. “This new law will help small and locally owned businesses and will help promote our county’s wines around the world.”

AB 394 mandates that wines produced entirely within Monterey County are labeled with their appellation of origin to increase consumer awareness about wines produced in the area.

California’s many wine-producing regions are known specifically by their local appellation due to their high quality products and labeling requirements. Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles have similar labeling standards.

“The addition of Monterey County to wine labels will contribute to increased consumer recognition of our high quality wines,” said Kim Stemler, Executive Director of the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association. “Monterey County already has tremendous positive international renown and regard as a tourism and cultural location. In this increasingly competitive wine market, building brand awareness of the Monterey County wine region is a critical success factor.”

AB 394 will go into effect on January 1, 2016.