Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is proposing to amend its regulations to permit the use of American viticultural area names as appellations of origin on labels for wines that would otherwise qualify for the use of the AVA name, except that the wines have been fully finished in a State adjacent to the State in which the viticultural area is located, rather than the State in which the labeled viticultural area is located. The proposal would provide greater flexibility in wine production and labeling while still ensuring that consumers are provided with adequate information as to the identity of the wines they purchase. TTB permits the use of viticultural area names as appellations of origin on wine labels, so that vintners may better describe the origin of their wines and consumers may better identify the wines they may purchase.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the approximately 44,690-acre ``Squaw Valley-Miramonte'' viticultural area in Fresno County, California. The proposed viticultural area does not overlap any established viticultural area. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. TTB invites comments on this proposed addition to its regulations.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is expanding the approximately 33-square mile ``Fair Play'' viticultural area in El Dorado County, California, by 1,200 acres (approximately 2 square miles). The established viticultural area and the expansion area are both located entirely within the larger El Dorado and Sierra Foothills viticultural areas. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase.