Press Releases

  • Wine Caucus Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Paris Wine Tasting
    Oct 20, 2005 - Napa Valley wine makers Warren Winiarski of Stags Leap Wine Cellars and Mike Grgich of Grgich Hills were in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of the 1976 Paris wine tasting which transformed the American wine industry. Congressional Wine Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Mik... More
  • Vinifera Wine Growers Association Honors Congressional Wine Caucus
    Nov 10, 2004 - Co-Chairmen of the Congressional Wine Caucus, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) were presented the Monteith Wine Bowl Perpetual Trophy by Gordon W. Murchie, President of the Vinifera Wine Growers Association at a Capitol Hill Reception on October 5th. The Vinifera Wine Grow... More
  • Key House Committee Approves $42 Million to Combat Pierce’s Disease
    Jun 23, 2004 - The House Appropriations Committee today has approved $­­­­­42 million in funding to fight Pierce’s Disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) requested the funding as part of the FY2005 Agriculture Appropriations bill. Pierce’s Disease is a harmful plant virus, s... More
  • House Approves Funding to Defend Against Sudden Oak Death
    Jun 14, 2004 - The House of Representatives yesterday approved $8.7 million in funding to combat Sudden Oak Death. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) requested the funding as part of the fiscal year 2005 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. “The North Coast has been hit hard by Sudden Oak Death. Far too many of our tr... More
  • Congressional Wine Caucus Leadership Applauds Smith & Wollensky’s “Great American Wine List”
    Apr 21, 2004 - Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) and George Radanovich (R-Mariposa), co-chairs of the Congressional Wine Caucus, praised Smith & Wollensky’s “Great American Wine List" before the Washington D.C. restaurant’s roll out of their revamped wine list. The event celebrates the unveiling of the restauran... More
  • Congressional Wine Caucus Now Covers All 50 States
    Apr 22, 2002 - Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Wine Caucus, announced today that the caucus now has members from each of the nation's 50 states. The legislators also reported that caucus membership has grown to a new high of 215 members. Founded by Rada... More
  • Wine Caucus Pushes for Pierce's Disease Funding
    Mar 21, 2002 - Led by the U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson and George Radanovich, co-chairs of the Congressional Wine Caucus, an unprecedented group of Members of Congress are pushing for additional funding to battle Pierce's disease. In a letter to the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee chair and ran... More
  • Pierce's Disease Gains Federal Emergency Status
    Jun 23, 2000 - California will receive an infusion of new federal funds to halt the devastation and rapid spread of Pierce’s Disease, a bacteria spread by an insect that is seriously threatening the state’s premium winegrapes. As part of an Emergency declaration announced today by Vice President Al Gore and U.S. A... More
  • Legislators Push for Organic Law Change
    May 23, 2000 - A bipartisan coalition of Congressional representatives from across the nation is calling on the Clinton Administration to reverse a proposal that would halt the production of wine made with organically grown grapes. In a letter sent today to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Dan Glick... More
  • Thompson, Woolsey Announce Key House Panel’s Approval of Pierce’s Disease Funding
    May 5, 2000 - U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) and Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) announced today that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture has approved its annual appropriations bill, which includes a sharp increase in federal dollars to fight Pierce's Disease. Thompson called Pierce... More
Wine is bottled poetry. Robert Louise Stevenson