Economic Impact of Wine: $13.4 Billion to Local Economy
Karissa Kruse, President of Sonoma County Winegrowers, presented new economic impact data of Sonoma County's vineyards and wineries at the Chamber's Advocacy Council last week. The Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners, in coordination with Stonebridge Research Group, found that winegrowers and wineries contributed more than $13.4 billion to the local economy based on 2012 figures.
“Agriculture and grape growing are the heart and soul of Sonoma County’s heritage, and our multigenerational family winegrowers are proud to contribute so much to the growth and stability of the local economy,” said Sonoma County Winegrowers president Karissa Kruse. “Most of all, we are proud that our vineyards have helped create thousands of jobs and give so much back to our neighbors and community.”
The Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners retained Stonebridge Research Group to measure the full economic impact of winegrowing and winemaking in Sonoma County. This study was last conducted in 2005, so here are the key findings and comparisons of Stonebridge Research Group’s report on 2012:
- The region's wine production brought an economic impact to Sonoma County of $13.4 billion in 2012, compared to $7.6 billion in 2005, an increase of 76 percent
- The wine industry, directly and indirectly, provides 54,297 full-time equivalent jobs in Sonoma County with $3.2 billion total wages paid; compared to 27,534 jobs and $1 billion in wages in 2005
- Total U.S. retail value of all wines produced in Sonoma County is $7.6 billion
- Total value of grapes grown in Sonoma County reached $582 million in 2012, with a per ton price up 17 percent from 2005
- The wine industry generates nearly $1.4 billion annually in local, state and federal taxes
- Wine-related tourism generated more than $1.25 billion in 2012, compared to $263 million in 2005
- Sonoma County’s wineries and winegrowers contributed more than $25 million to charitable causes
“We’ve known Sonoma County wines have gained traction on the global wine market over the past decade, but we’re even more proud that we’ve nearly doubled the economic impact from our winemaking efforts since 2005," said Sonoma County Vintners executive director Honore Comfort. “We generated more than $3 billion in wine sales in 2012, which is a testament to the quality and demand of Sonoma County wines.”