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Washington, D.C., Feb 25, 2011 -
Mike Thompson stood next to the makeshift wine bar set up in the corner of the Agriculture Committee Room in the Longworth House Office Building. Thompson, a congressman from Northern California, asked for a quarter glass of Sauvignon Blanc, emphasized the importance of eye contact when saying “cheers,” and took a sip.
Washington, D.C., Feb 4, 2011 -
Overseeing House dining facility procedures aren't the only culinary-related responsibilities Rep. Dan Lungren has gained in the new Congress.
The Gold River Republican was recently named co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers aiming to "educate and engage colleagues in legislative and regulatory matters pertaining to the wine community."
Washington, D.C., Jan 19, 2011 -
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the University of California, Davis, on the occasion of the grand opening of its world-class, LEED Platinum-certified research and teaching facility focused on food science, wine, and brewing.
Among its distinctions, UC Davis is the world's leading research and teaching center for agriculture, food science, and viticulture and enology. UC Davis research and teaching has developed an international reputation and strength in agriculture, and food, dairy, and wine production.
Washington, D.C., May 17, 2010 -
The National Beer Wholesalers Association has mounted a full-court lobbying offensive to find co-sponsors for legislation that supports state-based alcohol regulation and makes it much tougher to file legal challenges to states’ distribution laws.
Joined by the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of America, NBWA is leading the charge against the Beer Institute, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, all of which oppose the bill.
Washington, D.C., Dec 4, 2009 -
Washington, D.C., Dec 3, 2009 -
After holding their breath for six years, Napa Valley winemakers can now put the name "Calistoga" on wines made from grapes grown in that historic town, federal regulators have ruled.
The decision (read it here in PDF) ends a long slog through regulatory red tape, and completes a crucial piece of the valley's intricate system for labeling its wines — one that stands to make bottles from the area even more valuable.
Washington, D.C., Jun 9, 2009 -
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, has introduced a bill that would extend tax cuts to vintners and orchard farmers under the federal stimulus package.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes a tax break to help businesses, including farms, recover the cost of new capital investment. However, the bill does not cover permanent crops such as vines and fruit and nut trees because they are not harvested within the first year after they are planted.
Washington, D.C., Mar 4, 2009 - Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, grills a Tax and Trade Bureau representative at a May 2008 hearing regarding use of the word Calistoga on a wine that uses grapes sourced elsewhere.
What’s in a name?
In the Napa Valley, widely considered one of the top wine-growing regions in the world, everything.
“No product that I can think of is more importantly tied to the location that it comes from than wine grapes,” said Eric Sklar, St. Helena city councilman and principal at Alpha Omega Winery.
Washington, D.C., Dec 17, 2008 -
Washington, D.C., Dec 7, 2008 -