About the Author | Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq.

Governed by international treaties, constitutional amendments, and a byzantine system of local, state, and federal laws, the nearly half-trillion dollar alcohol beverage industry is one of the most uniquely regulated in the United States. Yet comparatively very little is written on the subject, particularly back in 2010 when I started On Reserve.

The response was tremendous. With its strong focus on new developments and major cases, On Reserve quickly developed into a leading resource for attorneys and professionals in the industry. Twice named one of the top 100 legal blogs by the American Bar Association Journal, On Reserve and its author have since been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, cited by law review articles, and featured on major industry websites, including Wine Business and Wine Industry Insight.

What had begun a labor of love—a way for a young attorney to cut their teeth in a fascinating, but then-unfamiliar industry—became first a passion and then a career. In 2011, I spent a summer in France studying at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, whose Wine and Law Program is second to none. Upon returning, I took a position at Lot 18, then a third-party provider in the wine industry, where I worked on regulatory compliance matters relating to direct shipments. In 2012, I started working at a boutique alcohol beverage firm where I counseled domestic and international alcohol beverage suppliers and producers, importers, wholesalers, and third party providers on federal and state regulatory compliance, permitting and licensing, labeling and formulations, advertising and social media, tied house laws, franchise laws, excise taxes, and trade practices. Nearly a decade later, I started my firm Lindsey Zahn P.C. where I continue to work with alcohol beverage industry clients on various matters.

Outside of client work, I write and lecture on food and alcohol beverage law and take every opportunity to visit the great wine regions of the world, including Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Piedmont, Champagne, Alsace, the Douro Valley, Andalucía, the Finger Lakes, Long Island, Sonoma, and Napa, among others. With any luck, this list will continue to grow, just as my journey in this remarkable field continues to unfold.

Education

• B.S., Cornell University
• J.D., Brooklyn Law School
• Università di Bologna, International & Comparative Law (Summer 2010)
• Université de Reims, Diploma in Transnational Wine Trade Law (Summer 2011)

Bar Admissions

• New York

Publications

• L. Zahn, Modernizing Alcohol Taxes in the United States: Disclosing Changes, Pitfalls, and Benefits, Jus Vini The Journal of Wine & Spirits Law (Revue de droit du vin et des spiritueux), June 2018.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Starting a New Winery? Top Ten Questions You Should Ask, The Grapevine Magazine, July 2016–Aug. 2016, at 4, available at http://thegrapevinemagazine.net/issue/julyaugust-issue-2016/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Home is Where the Beer & Wine Are, Hudson Valley Wine Magazine, Spring 2016.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., The Truth Behind American Viticultural Areas, The Grapevine Magazine, May 2016–June. 2016, at 4, available at http://thegrapevinemagazine.net/article/whats-in-a-name-the-importance-of-grape-varieties-in-american-wines/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., The Guidance You Can’t Skip: Shelf Plans, Shelf Schematics and Tied House Laws, The Grapevine Magazine, March 2016–April. 2016, at 4, available at http://thegrapevinemagazine.net/issue/march-april-2016/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., What’s In a Name? The Importance of Grape Varieties in American Wines, The Grapevine Magazine, Jan. 2016–Feb. 2016, at 4, available at http://thegrapevinemagazine.net/article/whats-in-a-name-the-importance-of-grape-varieties-in-american-wines/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Owning a Wine Brand: Alternatives to Investing in a Traditional Winery Model and Their Legal Implications, The Grapevine Magazine, Nov. 2015–Dec. 2015, available at http://thegrapevinemagazine.net/article/owning-a-wine-brand-alternatives-to-investing-in-a-traditional-winery-model-and-their-legal-implications/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Label Lawsuit Lessons, Vineyard & Winery Management (October 2015).
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Legal Tastings: From Farm to Glass: The Cultivation of New York Wines, Beers, and Spirits, Hudson Valley Wine Magazine, Fall 2015.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Tweets, Hashtags, Likes—And Booze, Beverage Master, Aug. 2015–Sept. 2015, at 4, available at http://beverage-master.com/article/tweets-hashtags-likes-and-booze/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Legal Tastings: The Ingredients in New York’s Craft Beverage Law, Hudson Valley Wine Magazine, Summer 2015, available at http://issuu.com/hvwinemagazine/docs/hvw_summer2015_issuu2.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, When FDA Takes Control: What Alcohol Beverage Companies Need to Know About the FDA, Beverage Master, Dec. 2014–Jan. 2015, at 5, available at http://beverage-master.com/issue/december-2014january-2015/.
• Lindsey Zahn, No Wine-ing: The Story of Wine Companies and Trademark in China, 1 Cornell Int’l L. J. Online 58 (2013), available at http://cornellilj.org/no-wine-ing-trademark-in-china/.
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Note, Australia Corked Its Champagne and So Should We: Enforcing Stricter Protections for Semi-Generic Wines in the United States, 21 Transnat’l L. & Contemp. Probs. 477 (2012), available at SSRN. 
  
• Zahn, L. & Sturman, M. C. “Forty Hours Doesn’t Work for Everyone: Examining Employee Preferences for Work Hours.” Center for Hospitality Research Report, November 2008.

Books

• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Australia Corked Its Champagne and So Should We: Enforcing Stricter Protections for Semi-Generic Wines in the United States, reprinted in International Wine Law (2020).
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Geographical Indications and Trademarks for Wines and Spirits in the United States (2019).
• Lindsey A. Zahn, Esq., Navigating the Challenges of a Regulated Industry,  Wine and Beer Law, Thomson Reuters Westlaw (February 2016).

Speaking Engagements

• The Society of Wine & Jurisprudence, Cornell Law School, April 2014.
• International Comparative Law: The Business of Wine (Guest Speaker), Charlotte School of Law,  June 2014.
• Intro to Wine Law, Rosenfarb LLC, September 2014 (New York).
• Winery and Vineyard Law, National Business Institute, October 2014.
• International Comparative Law: The Business of Wine (Guest Speaker), Charlotte School of Law,  June 2015.
• Winery, Brewery, and Distillery Law, myLawCLE, July 2015 (Miami).
• Legal Marketing Launch (Podcast) Episode 132: Lessons from Marketing a Wine and Beverage Law Practice, July 2016 (filmed in February 2016).
• Introduction to Wine Law, Lawline, May 2016.
• Beer, Wine & Distilled Spirits Law: Federal Regulation 101 [2016 Edition], myLawCLE, September 2016 (Dallas, Texas).
• Cider Week: So You Want to Start Your Own Cidery: Part 1, Hosted by Wassail, October 2016 (New York, New York).
• Cider Week: So You Want to Start Your Own Cidery: Part 2, Hosted by Wassail, October 2016 (New York, New York).
• ABA Women Rainmakers, Building Your Practice Through Blogging and Podcasting, June 2017.
• Federal Compliance Update for Wineries, Eastern Winery Expo, March 2018, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Formula Wines: Enology & Regulatory Issues, Winery Expo, March 2019 in Syracuse, New York.

Faculty Membership

• Wine & Law Program, Summer 2017, University of Reims.
• Wine & Law Program, Summer 2015, University of Reims.

Firm Contact Information

• Principal Law Office Address: Lindsey Zahn P.C., 445 Hamilton Ave., Suite 1102, White Plains, NY 10601.
• Phone: 929-924-6529 ext. 1.