Grape vines at Monserate Winery in Fallbrook. Image from the winery’s Instagram page
This week was San Diego County Wine Week, a celebration of the contribution our local winemakers make to our economy and lifestyle.
As a member of the Assembly Select Committee on Wine, I’m doing everything I can to support this important part of San Diego’s agribusiness and maintain San Diego County’s position as the 19th largest agribusiness in the United States.
San Diego County has a long history in the wine industry. The first vineyards in California were planted in 1769 by the San Diego de Alcala Mission brothers.
According to the San Diego County Vintners Association, the county’s wineries generated gross sales of $49.1 million in 2022, an 11% increase from 2021 and a new all-time high. The number of operating and planned wineries in San Diego grew to 166 last year, nearly double the total number of wineries in nearby Riverside County. Employment at wineries also continued to grow, growing 6% over the past year.
Wineries are recovering from pandemic-related closures, with 45% reporting their business has returned to normal levels. Overall, our wine industry is thriving despite increasing challenges such as rising inflation, dramatically increasing fire insurance costs and higher interest rates.
Wineries and tasting rooms are scattered throughout most of the county. The entire region lies within the South Coast American National Wine Region, with two local wine regions in the San Pasqual and Ramona Valleys.
San Diego County is a major contributor to California’s position as the nation’s leading agricultural state, and our wine industry plays a big part in that. California is the fourth largest wine producing region in the world and 95% of the country’s wine exports come from California.
The industry is vital to our state and region’s economy, and I will continue to work to ensure our vineyards thrive.
Rep. Marie Waldron, a Republican from Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, parts of the city of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego counties.
Comments are closed.