100 Percent Texas Wine House Bill 4233

Texas Wine Growers (TWG) fully supports the filing of House Bill 4233 by State Representative John Kuempel recently. The legislation will help the Texas wine industry move forward by requiring all wines labeled as Texas to be made from 100% Texas grapes. Currently, wines bearing the Texas appellation only require 75% of the grapes used in the wine to be from Texas. Carl Money, President of TWG, stated, “This bill is being introduced because consumers deserve to know that when they buy a bottle of wine labeled as Texas, 100% of the grapes used to make that wine are grown in the Terroir of Texas.”

TWG sought compromise to similar legislation that met defeat in 2017 by adding a provision to include a five-year phase-in period.  The phase-in period is meant to allow producers to plan accordingly and make necessary adjustments to meet the requirement. TWG Board Member, Chris Brundrett, added, “This bill shows our state is taking great strides to compete on a global level, and sustain the long-term success of our winegrowing industry.”

Carl Money further stated, “I think the passage of this legislation will greatly benefit Texas grape growers by providing an expanding market for grape production.  It will also benefit the Texas wine industry overall by promoting and protecting the integrity of our wines by ensuring all wines labeled as Texas are made solely from grapes grown in the Terroir of Texas.”

In 2017, Texas Wine Growers was accepted as a member of Wine Origins Alliance, an organization of 23 wine regions from around the world, devoted to ensuring that a wine’s true origin be clearly identified on its label in order for consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing and consuming wine.

Editor’s Note: This year we have had organizations promoting a new emblem to show consumers the wine is 100% Texas in addition to the legislative bill above. To be fair and show all viewpoints, Siboney Cellars coincidentally has provided their viewpoint.