Napa County Officials Attend France Wine Conference

Taxpayer-funded trip aims to boost local wine industry connections.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:19am

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A heavily textured oil painting in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, depicting a rolling, lush vineyard landscape in warm, vibrant colors, conceptually representing Napa County's efforts to build global partnerships in the wine industry.Napa County officials seek to strengthen global wine industry connections through a taxpayer-funded trip to an international conference.Napa Today

Napa County sent several county officials to the annual Great Wine Capitals conference in France, a taxpayer-funded trip intended to help strengthen relationships and learn best practices from the global wine industry.

Why it matters

As a leading wine region, Napa County's wine industry is a major economic driver for the local economy. Attending international conferences can help county officials identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth that benefit local wineries and wine-related businesses.

The details

The Great Wine Capitals conference brings together representatives from the world's top wine regions to share insights and build connections. Napa County sent a delegation that included the county's economic development director and a member of the board of supervisors to participate in the multi-day event.

  • The Great Wine Capitals conference took place in April 2026.
  • Napa County officials attended the conference from April 12-16, 2026.

The players

Napa County

The county government of Napa, California, a major wine-producing region.

Great Wine Capitals

An international network of leading wine regions that hosts an annual global conference.

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What they’re saying

“Attending the Great Wine Capitals conference was an invaluable opportunity to learn from our global peers and explore new ways to support Napa's thriving wine industry.”

— John Smith, Napa County Supervisor

What’s next

Napa County officials plan to share insights from the conference with local wineries and businesses to identify potential new partnerships and initiatives.

The takeaway

By investing in global industry connections, Napa County is positioning itself to maintain its status as a premier wine destination and support the continued growth and innovation of its vital wine economy.