A. The Wine Board is established within the Department. The purpose of the Wine Board is to foster the development of the Virginia wine industry by expanding viticulture and enological research, increasing education, and promoting the production of grapes and wine in the Commonwealth.
B. The Wine Board shall consist of 10 members, nine of whom shall be voting nonlegislative citizen members, to be appointed by the Governor, and the tenth shall be the Commissioner, who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and shall be either grape growers or owners or operators of a winery or farm winery in the Commonwealth. The Governor shall make his appointments upon consideration of the recommendations made by any grape grower, an owner or operator of a winery or farm winery, or the following agricultural organizations or their successor organizations: the Virginia Wineries Association, Inc.; the Virginia Vineyards Association, Inc.; the Virginia Farm Bureau; and the Virginia Agribusiness Council. Each entity or person shall submit two or more recommendations for each available position at least 90 days before the expiration of the member’s term for which the recommendation is being provided. If said entities or persons fail to provide the nominations at least 90 days before the expiration date pursuant to this section, the Governor may appoint other nominees that meet the foregoing criteria.
C. A majority of the members of the Wine Board shall constitute a quorum, but a two-thirds vote of the members present shall be required for passage of items taken up by the Wine Board. The Wine Board shall meet at least four times each year. The meetings of the Wine Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.