Cannabis in Wine Country

Since the passing of California Proposition 64 in 2016, which legalized the commercial and recreational growing of cannabis, many farmers are moving to the Golden State’s top winegrowing regions to cultivate the cash-crop. While some winegrowers are unbothered by the rise in cannabis farming, many others are worried that they have to compete with the cannabis industry for water, tourism, harvest labor and market share. The latest issue of Wine Spectator explores the varying sentiments and regulatory approaches in Santa Barbara, Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and Mendocino counties.