Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The U.S. Section of the AIDV – the International Wine Law Association – provides a venue for its members to learn about wine law and connect with professionals in the field. Our members are actively engaged in the international association, attending its member meetings and webinars.

The U.S. Section hosts meetings and webinars on significant legal issues in the wine industry.  The following briefly describes the last five programs and provides a sense of their scope and variety:

2022:    Webinar entitled “Who watches the watchmen?”, which examined the role of certain key NGO influencers in the setting of international trade regulation and policy. The event featured the following speakers and moderators:

• Pau Roca, Director, General OIV
• Katherine Bedard, Senior Director, International Public Policy Wine Institute
• Tom Heilandt, Codex, Secretary Codex Alimentarius
• Jamie Ferman, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce

2023:  A hybrid conference, both in-person and Zoom, on topics related to the sustainability of the wine industry, including economic, environmental, and social aspects, featuring the following panel of experts:

• Allison Jordan, Wine Institute
• Courtney Armour, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
• Virginia Gidi, International Alliance for Responsible Consumption
• Richard Halstead, IWSR
• Theo Georgopoulos, Professor, University of Reims

2024:  A webinar examining current important issues and trends in the U.S. wine industry, including evolving consumption and market patterns across various age groups, product and price categories, and producing regions. The panel featured:

• Danny Brager, Owner, Brager Beverage, Alcohol Consulting
• Dale Stratton, Owner, Five Points Consulting LLC; Managing Director, Azur Associates
• Bennett Caplan, President, Abridge, Board of Directors

2025:    A three-session “deep dive” look at the new regulatory landscape under the Trump administration.  The panels included the following:

• The Big Picture: What does the new regulatory landscape look like?

• • Nick Bergman, Partner, Buchman Law Firm (moderator)
  • Richard Blau, Chair, Alcohol Beverage & Food Law Department at Gray Robinson
  • Jacob Appelsmith, Former Director, CA Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control; Principal, Appelsmith Law

• Health & Alcohol: What will the U.S. Government’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization and other international organizations mean for the wine industry?

• • Bennett Caplan, President, Abridge (moderator)
  • Charles Jefferson, Vice President, Federal & International Public Policy, at Wine Institute
  • Julian Braithwaite, Chief Executive of IARD, the international alliance of leading beer, wine and spirits companies.

• Tariffs & Trade Policy: What does the crystal ball show (today)?

• • Gary Horlick, Principal, Law Offices of Gary Horlick; Lecturer, Yale/Georgetown/Columbia Law Schools (moderator)
  • Ben Aneff, Managing Partner, Tribeca Wine Merchants
  • Craig VanGrasstek, Principal, Washington Trade Reports; trade historian lecturer

2026:    A Q&A Session regarding the Global Wine Regulatory Environment with OIV Director General Dr. John Barker.   The Q&A provided an opportunity to hear Dr. Barker’s perspective on the current state of the global wine sector, the role of the OIV, and the legal, regulatory, and policy issues that may shape the industry in the years ahead.

It is a pleasure to serve as the Section’s President, and I hope to see all of you soon at AIDV events.

Michael Maher
President of the U.S. Section