We’re not debating calories or whether that charcuterie board counts as an appetizer or dinner. We're talking about the IRS tightening the rules for deductible meals.  Starting January 1, 2026, some winery meals that have historically been deductible will become completely nondeductible. Same harvest crew. Same pizza. Different tax result. Here is what changes and what does not. 1. Harvest Meals on Winery Premises Zero Deduction Beginning in 2026 If you provide meals at the winery so employees can keep working, those meals will no longer be deductible starting in 2026. That includes: Crush pad dinners Bottling day lunches Late night production meals served on site For years these were deductible. Beginning in 2026, they are not. If harvest meals are a routine part of your operations, this is worth budgeting for now. 2. Occasional Overtime Meal Reimbursements Possibly Still 50 Percent Deductible If an employee unexpectedly works late and you reimburse them for dinner, tha

Second-Year Sponsorship Highlights American Wine Industry’s Economic Impact and Community Building Mission  WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, announced today its proud sponsorship of the 2025 Come Over October Congressional Wine Caucus press conference and reception, taking place on October 8th in Washington, D.C. This marks the second consecutive year WineAmerica has supported this important invitation-only industry event, demonstrating the organization’s continued commitment to fostering bipartisan support for America’s burgeoning wine industry.  The reception will showcase wines from across many states, celebrating the breadth, diversity and quality of American wine production from coast to coast. This comprehensive representation underscores the truly national scope of the American wine industry, which now includes 10,637 wine producers operating in every state. Economic Powerhouse Supporting American Communities WineAmerica&r

Knowledge Is Power.  Small business owners spend their days concentrating on their particular specialty, but there’s one thing they have in common: they all have to contend with a host of similar workforce issues. Below, we've provided the top three business resources you should use to tackle common challenges like business planning, securing funding, and navigating day-to-day operations with greater confidence and clarity. Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your business to the next level, these tools can help you build a strong foundation and make informed decisions every step of the way. _________________________________________________________________ The Small Business Administration (SBA) The SBA offers a plethora of advice about planning, launching, managing, and growing a small business. They offer a useful guide to writing your business plan. The SBA’s Create Your Business Plan section of its website is an excellent place to s

Join us for Navigating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) for the Wine Industry, an insightful webcast specifically tailored for the wine industry, focusing on the implications of the TCJA. This session will delve into how the TCJA affects wineries, vineyards, and related businesses, providing crucial information for navigating the evolving tax landscape. Key topics included:  Overview of the TCJA and its relevance to the wine industry Changes to individual and corporate tax rates impacting winery owners Implications of the TCJA on pass-through entities, including S corporations and LLCs Modifications to deductions and credits, including the impact on capital investments in vineyards and production facilities Changes to the treatment of business expenses and the impact on operational costs Insights into international tax provisions affecting wine exports Future considerations and potential legislative changes that may impact the industry November 21, 2024 10:00 AM PT Register Now

The past two weeks have been some of the most tumultuous and consequential in American presidential history.  About a week after President Biden turned in a stunningly poor debate performance, former President Trump was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania, further boosting his popularity and polling lead over Biden. Then, this past Sunday night, President Biden abruptly announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, which quickly led to Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the presumptive nominee for the Democrats. And she raised a record $80 million in 24 hours. The character of the race also changed. Whereas Mr. Biden, at 81, had been the oldest presidential candidate in history, now it’s Mr. Trump, just three years younger at 78, whose new opponent is just 59, so the age advantage has flipped. So has the Democratic ticket, from Biden-Harris to Harris-Somebody Else who may be able to recapture some votes from swing states 100 days from no

2024 may well be one of the most challenging years in recent history for the American wine industry. Let’s change that. Multiple Alarm Bells At the recent Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, several prominent experts in various fields sounded the alarms during the enormously popular “State of the Industry” session attended by several thousand industry members. Wine Economist Mike Veseth compared the present with the distant past when similar clouds were on the horizon. Wine market analyst Danny Brager cited several troubling trends in consumer demographics, beverage preferences, anti-alcohol pressures, and apparent wine industry apathy. Steve Fredricks of Turrentine Brokerage repeatedly urged California wine grape growers to immediately tear out 30,000 acres of vineyards—roughly the total in New York State for grape juice, wine, and table grapes–to alleviate the current and chronic excess supply situation. Let’s Get to Work! We possess

Along with New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands, California is facing a reduction in Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) credit for 2023, which means employers in California pay higher FUTA taxes retroactively in January 2024 for wages paid in 2023 due to the state’s outstanding federal loans. Many states, including California, experienced a FUTA Credit Reduction of 0.3% for 2022, and will be subject to an additional 0.3% credit reduction for 2023. What Is the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA)? The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), passed in 1939, established a federal payroll tax to help fund and insure state unemployment benefits across the United States. This base federal payroll tax is 6% on the first $7,000 each employee makes in a year, which the employer is responsible for paying. Employers in most states are provided a Credit of 5.4% to this 6% FUTA rate. The results in a rate of 0.6%. State governments are also responsible for collecting unemployment taxes from

Last night while I was sleeping, my heart beat 38,400 times. I didn’t ask it to keep beating through my slumber, nor did I thank it when I awoke. I just took my heartbeat, and my life, for granted. Shame on me. We do the same with wine. Sure, we enjoy the aroma, bouquet and taste. But we rarely reflect that this magical elixir is a natural farm product…a land preserver…a reflection of place and time…an artistic statement…a liquid food…a Biblical focus…a poetic inspiration…a cultural phenomenon…an economic engine…a noble beverage with humble roots which brings people together around the world. Wine is magic. So why don’t we tell people? Natural magic It’s easy to fret about the future of wine. Boomers are aging, younger generations are opting out, spirits are innovating and there are increasing warnings about the dangers of alcohol.  It’s deja vu all over again. We’ve been here before, and

WineAmerica: Wine = Power

WineAmerica hired John Dunham & Associates to conduct national economic impact studies of the wine industry. Here are the results. By Jim Trezise   “Wine is the divine juice of […]