Virginia Wine Board

About the Virginia Wine Board

Created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1984 as part of Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Wine Board promotes the interests of vineyards and wineries in the Commonwealth through research, education and marketing. The Board fulfills the following duties.

• Receives funding from the Virginia Wine Promotion Fund and dispenses it for wine-related projects and initiatives.
• Contracts research to improve viticultural and enological practices in the Virginia wine industry.
• Promotes education about and appreciation for Virginia wines.
• Promotes the growing of wine grapes and wine production throughout the Commonwealth.
• Disseminates information on wine and viticultural topics.
• Contracts marketing, advertising and other programs that promote the growth of the state's wine industry and the enjoyment of Virginia wines.
• Collaborates with state, regional, national, and international organizations on their work related to Virginia's wine industry.

The Board consists of 10 members, nine of whom have voting privileges, all appointed by Virginia's governor for four-year terms. Three of the Board members are growers and six of which represent wineries. Approximately two-thirds of the Board's budget goes towards education and marketing, with the remaining third spent on wine-related research.

Board of Directors

To Learn More

To learn more about the Virginia Wine Board, contact the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office at 804-344-8200 or

Vision 2015: A Strategic Direction for the Virginia Wine Industry

Vision 2015, the blueprint for establishing Virginia as a producer of world-class wines, resulted from Governor Mark R. Warner's 2004 Wine Study Work Group's work in collaboration with members of the Virginia wine industry.

The Virginia Wine Industry Strategic Plan outlined within Vision 2015 has six objectives.

• To improve the quality and uniqueness of Virginia wines
• To enhance the image and reputation of Virginia wines and the Virginia wine industry
• To increase and expand the market share of Virginia wine sold in state, national and international markets
• To improve the profitability of vineyard and wine businesses in Virginia
• To maintain (enhance) Virginia's rural character and beauty through the expansion of Virginia's wine industry
• To facilitate the development of complementary supply and service industries for the Virginia wine industry

The Virginia Wine Board and Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office oversee the ongoing efforts in all areas of the Vision 2015 plan.

Research

The Virginia Wine Board contracts research to improve viticultural and enological practices in the Virginia wine industry. A summary of the projects funded for 2009-2010 is below:

VA Wine Board Minutes

For future meeting dates, click here for the Commonwealth Calendar.