Just because a bottle says it’s made in the U.S.A. doesn’t mean it’s made from American grapes.
A government loophole has allowed U.S. wine producers to import already-fermented juice from around the world, process and bottle it stateside, and slap on a labeling that says it’s American wine.
This loophole, which has been used by many household name wineries for more than 20 years, could close on June 1, 2026. On January 14, California assemblymembers Damon Connolly and Rhodesia Ransom pushed forward legislation, Assembly Bill AB 1585, that would require wines labeled as American to be, well, 100% American.
If passed, AB 1585 will apply to wine bottled on or after July 1, 2027.
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