Just to clarify a prior post of On Reserve, the 1994 wine agreement between the European Community and Australia that prevented Australia from producing wine of particular GIs did name several of the wines mentioned in the most recent agreement between the two powers. These GIs, under Article 8 of…
Category: Contemporary Wine Law Issues
Class Action Law Suit Against Constellation Brands Inc. for the Sale of Fraudulent Pinot Noir
Over the last few months, there has been an ongoing class action claim against Constellation Brands Inc. (of Victor, NY) for selling fraudulent Pinot noir in the United States from a French supplier. Constellation Brands is one of the largest sellers and manufacturers of wine in the world and sells…
The Alcohol Beverage Legal Environment Post-Granholm
This article gives rise by suggestion of Tom Wark of Fermentation. It explores the legal environment, post-Granholm, relative to the constitutionality of the several state liquor regulatory laws and the underlying effect of the Supreme Court’s holding in Granholm. These three cases include Siesta Village Market LLC v. Steen, 595…
Wine Legislation Brewing in California
Recently, California legislators approved a proposed wine label law for those wine products of Sonoma County that will subsequently require vitners to place “Sonoma County” on any wine label that names a local appellation. The bill, Assembly Bill 1798, passed in the state Senate 36-0 on Monday and in the…
In Vino Veritas: In Wine There is Truth
In recent years, China has become one of the greatest markets for American wine exports. In 2003, China imported over 1.2 millions liters of American wines, making it the 24th largest market for American wine exports. (See New Opportunities in China for American Wine Producers.) In May of this last…
Virginia Ban on Alcohol Advertisements in Student Publications May Reach SCOTUS
Stay tuned for what could be another exciting Supreme Court case relative to alcohol regulation. The American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) asked the Supreme Court to review The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board’s ban of ads in student publications that promote beer, wine, or mixed drinks (unless part of a…
Old World v. New World: An International Legal Perspective on Geographical Indications
I read an article recently that summarized the personalities of Old World and New World wines in perfect prose: “New World winemaking has the romance of rugged individualism. With properties bankrolled by previous enterprises such as construction or tobacco, winery owners can break rules (even with scant rules to break),…
Pennsylvania’s Wine Vending Machines
When I first read about Pennsylvania’s wine vending machines, two thoughts initially crossed my mind: (1) Cornell University’s apple vending machine has some competition for most obscure vending machine, and (2) what are the probable legal repercussions of implementing such a machine? What is the idea behind this device? Simple….
Is There a Future for the Three-Tier Alcohol Beverage Distribution System?
The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 by the 21st Amendment of the United States Constitution not only reinstated the legality of alcohol beverage consumption, but also introduced a new system for alcohol beverage distribution: the three-tier system. The three-tier system creates a platform between alcohol beverage producers, distributors, and retailers….