Last week, TTB issued an industry circular (Industry Circular Number 2017-3) that cancels a declaration requirement with respect to Pinot Noir wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France. The 2017 industry circular supersedes Industry Circular 2010–5, Pinot Noir from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France, which required importers of wines naming Pinot…
Category: TTB Rulings
Submitting a Petition for a New Grape Variety to TTB
Last year, I represented a client before the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) with respect to petitioning for the addition of a new grape variety for use as a variety on American wine labels. The grape variety, Loureiro, has been used on imported wines from Portugal and Spain….
TTB Updates Guidance on Shelf Plans and Shelf Schematics
On February 11, 2016, TTB issued Ruling 2016-1 titled “The Shelf Plan and Shelf Schematic Exception to the ‘Tied House’ Prohibition, and Activities Outside Such Exception.” The ruling concerns promotional activities commonly associated with category management programs and looked at such practices with respect to the federal tied house laws. The agency…
TTB Issues Final Rule for Small Brewers and Reduces Regulatory Burdens
On September 30, 2014, TTB issued a final rule in the Federal Register for small brewers (defined infra), reducing regulatory burdens. The final rule is entitled “Small Brewers Bond Reduction and Requirement to File Tax Returns, Remit Tax Payments and Submit Reports Quarterly” and goes into effect on January 1, 2015. This rule finalizes an important and…
TTB Updates Information on Optional Alcohol Facts Statements
Last week, TTB updated its FAQ section on optional Alcohol Facts statements to include more information on Alcohol Facts statements (or alcohol facts panels). The updated information includes TTB’s insights on whether per-serving and per-container alcohol content information can be placed on labels and in advertisements which do not contain nutrient content…
TTB Suspends Ruling on Bottling Taxpaid Wine in Growlers
Several weeks after TTB announced its third ruling of Year 2014, the Bottling Taxpaid Wine in Growlers or Similar Containers for Consumption Off of the Premises, TTB issued a subsequent announcement declaring the suspension of the ruling. (The original ruling held that filling growlers and similar containers for consumption off of the…
New TTB Ruling on Bottling Taxpaid Wine in Growlers
Environmentally-conscious and corkscrew-phobic wine lovers alike will be thrilled to hear that TTB issued a ruling on March 11, 2014, allowing the filling of wine growlers by TTB-licensed taxpaid wine bottling houses (“TPWBH”). The ruling is in response to a new Washington state law allowing state-licensed wineries to sell wine…
TTB Proposes New Regulations on Wine
Last week, TTB announced several proposals with respect to wines in the United States. These proposals include the Yamhill-Carlton Viticultural Area; Use of Various Winemaking Terms on Wine Labels and Advertisements; Labeling Imported Wine with Multistate Appellations; and Disclosure of Cochineal Extract and Carmine in the Labeling of Wines, Distilled…