AB 720: A New Opportunity for CA Small Wine Producers
In early July, I became aware of a new CA state bill — officially titled “Winegrowers and Brandy Manufacturers: Privileges Off-Premises.” It quietly opens the door for ABC wine license holders to host up to 36 estate vineyard tasting events per year at a property adjacent to your bonded winery, or at non-adjacent vineyard sites you own or control.
So, if you make wine at a custom crush and don’t have a tasting room, AB 720 would allow you to temporarily host tastings and sell wine at your vineyard property or at an adjacent property space.
Temporary events don’t require commercial access roads or costly upgrades — which is usually the biggest barrier for small producers. Instead, you get up to 36 state-authorized event days per year where you can pour, sell, and offer wine tastings without building a winery or tasting room, or dealing with expensive zoning and permit hurdles. Think of it as a satellite tasting room, but only on pre-approved, scheduled dates.
Example: Let’s say you farm 10 acres in Mendocino and produce wine at a custom crush in Sonoma. Under AB 720, you could apply for a permit to host 36 tasting events per year at your vineyard, introducing customers to your land and your story.
“Napa Will Be Napa” — And That’s the Catch
Unfortunately, this bill does not override local zoning policies. So, while the State of California is extending this olive branch to small wine producers in today’s brutal economic climate, local counties still have the final say. That means producers in Napa County — and likely Sonoma County too — won’t be able to take advantage of this permit unless local zoning changes.
It’s incredibly frustrating, especially for small, land-based growers in Napa County who’ve spent years being locked out of the hospitality economy (I briefly posted about my journey lobbying local government to create the Micro-Winery Ordinance, which turned out to be an epic failure IMO - a story for another time). But that’s why I wanted to share this potential opportunity on wine berserkers platform, to make sure wine producers in other regions in California don’t miss this seemingly incredible opportunity.
If you’re in Mendocino, Paso, El Dorado, Santa Barbara, Sierra Foothills, Humboldt, or one of the many other fabulous CA wine growing regions, this could be a game changer for your small business. It’s not a full solution — but in a time when margins are razor thin and tasting room foot traffic is dwindling, AB 720 could offer you a competitive advantage: bring people back to the vineyard. Promote agro-tourism. It’s a simple, low-cost, scalable way to connect with customers on your terms, on your land.
Here’s the best analysis of the bill I’ve found so far: AB 720 Analysis PDF
Bill AB 720 is currently moving through the final stages of the legislative process. Expected to be signed by Governor Newsom this fall, and then go into effect January 1, 2026 if it doesn’t meet any delays. It’s received unanimous support (literally no votes against it), so I don’t anticipate it getting stopped at this point.
This is a example of the state doing something proactively helpful for small wine producers — and I want to make sure it doesn’t get buried or overlooked.
If you’re in a region where the local government supports agricultural tourism and small farms, start the conversation now. Talk to your local winegrowers’ alliance. Contact your county supervisors. Make sure your region is ready to allow producers to use this permit — because once it’s law, the only thing standing in the way will be your county officials.
If you’re in Napa or Sonoma, you’re not alone. I’ve been busting my ass to advocate for a policy change in Napa County for years and this new bill has ignited a new fire in me. In just the past 3 weeks I’ve met with the county CEO, the supervisors, the state senator’s office and the Wine Institute to voice my concern about leaving small producers in certain counties behind. I’ve been told that larger industry players will continue to lead those discussions due to their scale, influence, and seniority. However, if Napa County is truly committed to supporting small family farms, the most effective approach is direct engagement with those farmers.
I’ll keep fighting to push for zoning reform in Napa County that brings equity and opportunity to the small producers, who are the heart and soul of the wine industry. And I hope my friends in other California counties use AB 720 not only to improve their businesses but also to show Napa and Sonoma what beautiful opportunities they’re robbing their growers of — all in the name of preservation.