Where Does This Glass of Wine Come From?

TTB proposes to change the rules on multi-state appellations and is seeking your comments!

As a native of northern California, it’s no wonder I am relatively well versed in wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley (my favorite!). In particular, I seriously enjoy visiting the Buena Vista Carneros winery and am always happy to have a “taste of home” by way of a glass of their wine here in NYC.

There is a new discussion around the labeling of imported wine and its regional origin designation or “appellation of origin.”

The recent labeling discussion arises from a quasi-governmental authority from Australia that regulates the exportation of Australian wine. Known as the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC), it petitioned the US agency, the “Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau” (TTB), which oversees wine regulations (both domestic and foreign imported wine), to permit the labeling of Australian wines with multi-state, i.e., regional, appellations.

As a result of this petition, TTB is proposing to require that all imported wine display on its label the percentage of the wine derived from fruit or other agricultural product(s) grown in each particular political subdivision.

The reason for this amendment would be to provide wine consumers with quality information about the identity and quality of the wine. In addition, TTB is also proposing to mandate that imported wine labeled with a multi-state appellation conforms to the requirements of the foreign laws and regulations governing the composition, method of production, and designation of wines available for consumption within the country of origin.

TTB is seeking comments from interested parties regarding the utility of these amendments to the consumer and to determine whether the amendments will result in comparable treatment between domestic and foreign imported wines. TTB further seeks comments regarding subdivisions of foreign political systems that might be considered equivalents of U.S. states.

Written comments can be submitted until on or before Jan. 3, 2011 and can be sent to:

•[Online] http://www.regulations.gov (via the online comment form for this notice as posted within Docket No. TTB–2010–0007 at ‘‘Regulations.gov,’’ the Federal erulemaking portal);

•[By Regular Mail] Director, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, P.O. Box 14412, Washington, DC 20044–4412; or

• [By hand delivery/courier in lieu of mail] Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street, NW., Suite 200–E, Washington, DC 20005.

TTB regulations regarding labeling and advertising of wine can be found at 27 CFR Part 4.

For more information on the proposed amendments, see the Federal Register notice at 75 FR 67663

Questions/comments? Post below or email me at clark.deanna@gmail.com