Economic Impact Report
Explore the Economic Impact of California Wine
CAWG, in partnership with the Wine Institute, co-commissioned a landmark economic study conducted by John Dunham & Associates. This report quantifies the full scope of California’s wine and winegrape industry, capturing its impact on jobs, wages, taxes, tourism, and community well-being.
California is America’s #1 wine state and the fourth-largest producer in the world. California wine contributes to every corner of the nation, creating jobs, generating tax revenue, driving hospitality and tourism, and enhancing communities through environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.
And it all begins with the vineyard, because every great bottle of California wine starts in the vineyard.
Facts About the California Wine & Winegrape Industry
- Winegrapes are grown in 49 out of California’s 58 counties
- More than 110 varieties of winegrapes are grown in California
- California is the fourth leading wine producer in the world, behind Italy, France and Spain
- Vineyards cover approximately 618,000 acres, less than 1 percent of the state’s terrain carried out by California winegrape growers that is the growing of winegrapes in a manner which is economically viable, ecologically sound and socially responsible.
Impact of California Wine and Winegrapes on the U.S. Economy:
- Employment – 1.1 million full-time equivalent jobs: 422,000 jobs in California
- Annual Economic Activity –$170.5 billion
- Wages – $59.9 billion annually
- Taxes – $21.9 billion total
Impact of California Wine and Winegrapes on the California Economy:
- Employment – 422,000 full-time equivalent jobs
- Annual Economic Activity – $73.0 billion
- Wages – $25.9 billion annually
- Taxes – $7.9 billion total
- Tourism Visits – 25.2 million wine -related tourist visits annually to wineries
- Tourism Spending – $8.6 billion in estimated wine visitor - related expenditures annually.
Visit wine-economy.com to view interactive maps showing California’s wine impact by state. You can also download fact sheets detailing the wine industry’s impact for every California county, Congressional district, State Senate district, and State Assembly district.
About This Study
The Economic Impact of California Wine and Grapes 2022 was commissioned by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to measure the contributions of the California wine industry to local, state and national economies.