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CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS SIGNS NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CONSUMERS
9/28/2000 - Napa Valley vintners are celebrating a hard-won legislative victory today to protect consumer interests and the integrity of the Napa Valley designation.
Senate Bill 1293 was signed into law by Governor Gray Davis ending an era of consumer confusion and to protect the well-earned reputation of the Valley. The new law requires that any wine with the word "Napa" on the wine label must contain at least 75 percent Napa Valley-grown grapes.
"This is a great day for consumers who care about quality and truth in labeling," said Jack Stuart, president of the Napa Valley Vintners and president of Silverado Vineyards. "Our thanks go to the Governor for his support of this very important measure for the industry and consumers."
"For more than a century, Napa County wines have been renowned for their quality," said Governor Davis. "This legislation will end consumer confusion and deceptive marketing, and protect the reputation of the Napa Valley wines."
The law assures consumers that the wines produced and/or sold in California with brand names, packaging materials or advertising referring to Napa, in fact qualify for the Napa County appellation designation. The San Francisco Chronicle recently called the proposed law, "a modest truth-in-bottling bill ... "
State Assemblywoman Pat Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) and State Senator Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) sponsored the original versions of the legislation - AB 683 and SB 1293 - approved by the Legislature earlier this year.
The Napa Valley Vintners is a non-profit trade organization representing 181 wineries, ranging from small, family-owned operations to large producers. For more information on the association, please refer to www.napavintners.com.
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