On August 22, 2013, TTB announced that the agency will be reviewing its policy on the use of the term “gluten-free” on alcohol beverages that are regulated by TTB. See Use of “Gluten-Free” on TTB-Regulated Alcohol Beverages. This announcement is timely because, as TTB properly highlighted, the United States Food and Drug…
Category: Wine Labeling Regulations
Yamanashi: The First Japanese Geographical Indication for Wine
On July 16, 2013, the Director General of the Tax Agency of Japan announced the designation of Yamanashi as the first Japanese geographical indication (“GI”) for wine. “To be allowed to carry the name of Yamanashi, wine needs to use only limited kinds of grape from Yamanashi, including Koshu and…
Proposed Standard of Identity for Canadian Icewine
On June 15, 2013, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency released proposed regulations to create Icewine Regulations (of the Canada Agricultural Products Act) and Consumer Packaging and Labeling Regulations (of the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act). See New Standard Will Help Open Markets for Canada’s Iconic Icewine. The proposed icewine regulations create “a Standard of Identity for icewine as…
TTB Publishes Final Rule Modifying Mandatory Label Information for Wine
On June 10, 2013, TTB published a final rule in the Federal Register amending the mandatory label information requirements for wine labels. The final rule allows the alcohol by volume (“ABV”) percentage to appear on other labels affixed to a wine container without appearing on the brand label. Previously, the regulations for…
Full Ingredients List to Appear on 2011 Ridge Vineyards Wine Label
Ridge Vineyards 2011 wine label will feature a full ingredients list on its wine label. Read more about why, under U.S. law, ingredients are unique on wine labels.
A Regulatory Analysis: Nutrition Fact Panels and Ingredient Statements on Alcohol Beverages
Why do some wines have nutrition fact panels and some wines do not? What are the differences between FDA and TTB labeling for wines? Low volume alcohol wine label requirements.
Wine Law Updates: Restaurants Sue Wine Storage Facility, Revealing Seller’s Name at Auction, and Calorie Labeling for Wine in the UK
Some very interesting updates over the last week have occurred for the wine and law community. Below are three of the most interesting, involving a wine storage facility, potential new rules at auction, and calorie labels in the United Kingdom. East Coast Restaurants Sue WineCare Storage Facility for $2 Million…
Osawa Wines Wins Labeling Dispute Against Chateau Mouton Rothschild Estate for Flying Mouton Label
Recently, Osawa Wines won a labeling dispute against Chateau Mouton Rothschild Estate. The disagreement, which spawned over the use of the wine label Flying Mouton, originated in 2008 when Osawa started producing a new alcohol beverage product with a Flying Mouton wine label. Shortly thereafter, Chateau Mouton Rothschild estate filed…
A Liberalization of Kansas Wine Law: Reduced Requirement for Grapes Grown in Kansas
In May 2012, Kansas approved a law that dramatically changed the regulation of its wine industry. The new state law, which spawned from House Bill 2689, reduces the requirement of the amount of Kansas grapes that must be in a Kansas wine. The bill amends K.S.A. 2011 Supp. 41-308a. Under…
Wine Law and Health Regulations: A Call for “Easily Digestible”
The Wall Street Journal law blog recently published an interesting article titled, EU Court: Don’t Call Wine “Easily Digestible,” discussing a court case decided by the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”). At issue was whether the German winemakers’ cooperative, Deutsches Weintor, can label its wines with a claim that the wine…