California winemakers pressed Washington to restore access to the Canadian market

A group of executives and winemakers from 14 California wineries traveled to Washington in May to press U.S. officials for action to restore access to the Canadian market, after more than a year of provincial bans that have kept American wine off store shelves in parts of Canada.

The effort was organized by Wine Institute during its annual Washington Meeting, held May 19 through May 21, according to the trade group. The delegation said the dispute with Canada has become a central issue for U.S. wineries because Canada had been the largest export market for American wine until last year.

Wine Institute said the delegation met with 25 members of the House, four senators, congressional staff, administration officials and representatives of Canadian provinces. The group argued that the restrictions are hurting wineries, distributors, retailers, restaurants and consumers on both sides of the border, while also adding strain to the broader trade relationship between the United States and Canada.

Steve Gross, president and chief executive of Wine Institute, said winery owners used the meetings to describe how the loss of Canadian shelf space is affecting their businesses. He said restoring trade with Canada is important not only for wineries but also for workers, growers and communities tied to the wine industry.

The dispute matters because Canada has long been one of the most important foreign buyers of U.S. wine, especially for California producers. When access is cut off in a major export market, wineries can face weaker sales abroad at a time when many are already dealing with slower domestic demand, shifting consumer habits and pressure on margins. For smaller and midsize producers, losing a nearby market can be especially difficult because Canada has traditionally offered geographic proximity, established distribution channels and strong consumer familiarity with American brands.

Wine Institute did not provide new export figures in its statement, but its description of Canada as the top export destination for U.S. wine until last year underscores the scale of the disruption. The trade group framed the issue as urgent, saying provincial bans on U.S. alcohol have now lasted for more than a year.

The organization did not detail in its statement which provincial measures remain in place or how much sales volume has been lost. But it said representatives from Ontario and Quebec were among those involved in discussions during the Washington meetings. A photo released by the group showed delegation members meeting with officials tied to Ontario and Quebec in Washington.

Robin Baggett, chair of Wine Institute’s board and managing partner of Alpha Omega Winery, said direct meetings with lawmakers help explain how policy decisions affect winery operations, employees and local economies. His comments reflected a broader strategy by agricultural trade groups that often rely on producer testimony to push for intervention when export markets are disrupted by tariffs, bans or regulatory barriers.

The Canadian restrictions have become part of a wider economic concern for the U.S. wine business. California dominates American wine production, so barriers affecting exports can ripple through grape growers, bottlers, logistics companies and hospitality businesses linked to wine tourism. Industry groups have also warned in recent years that wineries are facing a more competitive global market and softer consumption trends in some categories at home.

During the Washington meetings, Wine Institute also raised other policy issues beyond Canada. The group said it asked lawmakers to support U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that it considers important to the wine sector. It also voiced concern about what it described as a growing market for unregulated THC hemp products.

That broader agenda shows how trade access is being discussed alongside domestic regulatory and farm policy questions. For wineries, export recovery alone may not solve current pressures if producers also face uncertainty over federal support programs or competition from products sold outside traditional alcohol rules.

Still, access to Canada appears to be the immediate priority. Wine Institute said it plans to continue pressing both governments for a lasting solution that would restore full market access for U.S. wine in Canada. The group’s message in Washington was that the issue is no longer limited to one segment of the beverage business but has become a problem affecting supply chains, retail channels and bilateral commerce.

The meetings took place at a time when industry advocates are trying to keep wine trade issues visible in Washington even as lawmakers juggle larger disputes over tariffs, agriculture and cross-border commerce. By bringing winery owners and executives directly to Capitol Hill and administration offices, Wine Institute sought to show that what might appear to be a narrow alcohol dispute has direct consequences for jobs and business activity in wine-producing regions.

For American wineries that built sales relationships in Canada over many years, returning bottles to Canadian shelves is not simply a symbolic goal. It is tied to recovering distribution networks, rebuilding consumer presence and regaining revenue in a market that had been central to U.S. wine exports before the bans took hold.