The Wine Institute

I discovered The Wine Institute while surfing on Saturday.  It is a public policy association which advocates (lobbies?) on behalf of one thousand mostly small wineries and affiliated businesses in California.  The organization's President/CEO is Robert P. Koch.  This entire post is taken from their website.

The Wine Institute, located in Washington DC, represents California wineries on state, federal, and international levels.  It has five purposes:

1.  Legislative and Regulatory Issue Advocacy - The organization opposes franchise monopoly bills and supports the direct shipment of wine to consumers.  It also expedites label approvals.  In this difficult economy the organization fights excise tax increases on alcoholic beverages.

2.  International Market Development - Working in twenty countries with offices in thirteen of them, it promotes international trade and lobbies to reduce tax issues.  Further it hosts tastings and enters international shows and reciprocates in Washington when foreign trade representatives come here.

3.  Media Relations - The Wine Institute promotes media coverage of wine events and engages media representatives including food/wine writers for the purpose of promoting the industry.

4.  Scientific Research - The institute hosts workshops on several issues and promotes the "Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices", an industry self-assessment tool for environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

5.  Educational Programs - The thrust here is to reframe the entire social debate about wine and its place in a healthy lifestyle.

This Friday from 5 to 7pm we will taste one red and one white wine from Cambridge & Sunset of California, Maryhill of Washington State, and Tiki Sound of New Zealand.  Come in before Friday, say you read the blog and get a free box of cookies with a purchase!  Come in Friday for the tasting and get a free cake!  We ask for a ten dollar charge to taste but that can be applied to a thirty dollar minimum purchase.