The California Senate has unanimously passed a bill that would make it easier for wine makers to sell at farmers markets.
Currently, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control gives permits to producers to offer samples and sell bottles at farmers markets, but only if the wine is made “entirely from grapes or other agricultural products grown by the winegrower.”
State Senator John Laird introduced SB 917, which would open up the permitting process to more producers.
“This actually allows wineries that don't grow their own grapes to sell at farmers markets,” said Laird, whose district contains hundreds of Central Coast wine producers. “It's something that will help the struggling industry and help consumers.”
The California wine industry has experienced a downturn over the last several years. Multiple factors have led to the decline, but one element is a larger supply of grapes than there is demand, causing the cost to plummet.
According to Wine Enthusiast, the drop in prices has meant that some smaller producers have been able to purchase grapes from vineyards that would normally be out of reach.
“Oversupply has opened a rare window for producers like us: it’s a buyer’s market,” Colin McNany of MarBeso in Santa Barbara told Wine Enthusiast in 2025.
Laird says his new bill will give wine makers more opportunities to sell wine made from grapes they didn’t grow, in part or in full. In a press release, he said the bill would help “small producers get their products directly to consumers.”
The bill now heads to the state assembly.
