Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association
536 Pearl St., Monterey (831) 375-9400, montereywines.org
Executive Director Kim Stemler refers to the MCVGA as “promoters, cheerleaders, barrier busters and connectors” for the county’s winemakers, wineries and vineyards. That doesn’t mean they sip wine spritzers all day, it means they push tasting room maps, work with hotel concierges and travel organizations, they host trade and media events and meet with policymakers to hash out issues and laws that impact the market. There’s some fun – the upcoming Monterey Winemakers’ Celebration, for example. But there’s a lot of lobbying to, say, successfully urge state legislators to pass a labeling law requiring any wine with a Monterey County sub-AVA on the label to include the county’s name, so winos… um, connoisseurs… around the world learn to consider Monterey a destination. Heavy stuff.