James (Jim) Trezise has been President of WineAmerica since January 1, 2017 after serving for more than 25 years on the Executive Committee of the organization’s Board of Directors. WineAmerica is the only National Association of American Wineries, headquartered in Washington, DC, with a mission to protect and enhance the business climate for the American wine industry through national grassroots public policy advocacy. WineAmerica represents more than 500 winery members and winery trade associations from 40 states.
Jim has been in the wine industry since 1982 and has served in many capacities. He co-created the New York Wine & Grape Foundation with former Governor Mario M. Cuomo in 1985 to support the New York grape and wine industry, and served as its President for 32 years. He also created the International Riesling Foundation and served as its President for 10 years concurrently.
Jim has also been engaged with numerous national and international organizations involved with grapes and wine. He served as Communications Director and on the Presidential Council of FIVS (formerly Federation Internationale des Vins et Spirtueux) based in Paris, as well as Director of Communications for the Paris-based Office Internationale des Vignes et du Vin. He has also served on the Boards of the National Grape Research Alliance, the Society of Wine Educators, the Wine Market Council, and other organizations.
Jim is a frequent speaker on major issues at conferences through the United States and abroad, as well as a professional wine judge at more than a dozen international competitions annually.
He has been widely recognized for his leadership in the broader American wine industry, having received seven national awards or other recognition for his many contributions: The “Rich Smith Award of Excellence” in 2021; “Grand Award” of the Society of Wine Educators in 2014; one of “The 20 Most Admired People in the American Wine Industry” in 2013 based on an industry survey by Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine; the Wine Integrity Award in 2006 from the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission; the first ever “Distinguished Service Award” in 2001 from the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (Eastern Section); the Perpetual Monteith Trophy (Thomas Jefferson Cup) in 1995 from the Vinifera Winegrowers Association; and recognition by “Wines & Vines” magazine as one of the “Top 50 Movers and Shakers” in the United States wine industry.
Most recently, he was honored by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation with the Jim Trezise Lifetime Achievement Award (which will retain his name when given to others in the future); the International Wolf Blass Trophy (from Australia) for promotion of Riesling worldwide; and the Chairman’s Award from the New York Wine & Culinary Center. Jim was also largely instrumental in having New York State named 2015 “Wine Region of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine, ahead of Champagne, France; Chianti, Italy, Sonoma Coast, California; and Red Mountain, Washington.
Jim holds a Master of Arts degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Allegheny College. A native New Yorker from Rochester, Jim lived in France for three years prior to his involvement with the New York grape and wine industry. He lives and works on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes wine region.