Wine is bottled poetry. -Robert Louis Stevenson

In 1999, George Radanovich and I founded the Congressional Wine Caucus with the idea that Members of Congress could benefit from learning more about the challenges of growing grapes and making wine. Additionally, we felt that people in the grape and wine business would be interested in hearing more about federal regulatory and legislative developments that affected them. Since then, we've held numerous policy briefings and wine receptions on Capitol Hill, and become involved in a wide variety of legislative issues, all with the goal of promoting our incredibly vibrant American wine industry from the vineyard to the wine glass. Please let us know if you find our website helpful or have suggestions to make it better.

Cheers, signature Mike Thompson


When Mike Thompson asked me to join him in the mission of educating our fellow Members about the challenges and triumphs of the wine industry, I accepted without hesitation. There are roughly 100 wineries in my district and I know dozens of vintners on a first name basis.

Wine grapes are the leading agricultural product in Amador County. Calaveras County is home to one of the 40 largest wineries in the country.

Mike and I know how important the wine industry is to California and the other 49 states where wine is made. That’s right, even Alaskans and Hawaiians make wine these days. The industry of winegrape growing and production provides hundreds of thousands of jobs across the nation in addition to its tremendous contribution to the economy of our country.

The membership of the Congressional Wine Caucus enjoys educating and advocating our colleagues about legislation affecting this very important industry. Welcome to our website.

Sincerely, signature Dan Lungren

  • The Congressional Wine Caucus promotes the interests of America's wine industry from grape to glass.

  • Wine bottles set against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol.

  • Rep. Mike Thompson, Wine Institute President Bobby Koch, and former Rep. George Radanovich at a Congressional Wine Caucus event.

  • Rep. Doris Matsui, left, Jay Buchsbaum, vice president for marketing of Royal Wine Corp., and Rep. Mike Thompson at a recent caucus wine tasting on Capitol Hill. Photo courtesy of the Washington Post.

 
 

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