Heitz Myers elected Wine Institute chair

Kathleen Heitz Myers of Napa's Heitz Wine Cellars has been elected board chairman of the Wine Institute.

Heitz Myers: ‘communicating wine industry’s importance’

The Wine Institute, known in the UK as the California Wine Institute, is the trade organisation representing some 1000 California wineries.

Other board members elected include Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Wines, Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates, Greg Coleman of E&J Gallo Winery, and Margie Healy of Korbel Champagne Cellars.

Heitz said she was ‘honored to support the Wine Institute’s work on state, federal and international public policy’.

She said they would continue to focus on ‘defeating tax increase proposals, expanding direct-to-consumer shipping, enhancing our wine exports, and promoting the adoption of sustainable winegrowing practices.

‘We recognize the importance of communicating to the public that the wine industry generates 330,000 jobs and nearly US$62bn in economic impact to California annually.’

Wine Institute members account for 95% of California wine production and 85% of US wine production.

Based in San Francisco, it has offices in six regions of the US and 15 countries worldwide, including the UK.

Written by Adam Lechmere