Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau April 5, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the 11,000-acre Big Valley District-Lake County viticultural area and the 9,100-acre Kelsey Bench-Lake County viticultural area, both in Lake County, California. Additionally, TTB proposes to modify the boundary of the established 31,250-acre Red Hills Lake County viticultural area in order to align its border with that of the proposed Kelsey Bench-Lake County viticultural area. The proposed modification would increase the size of the Red Hills Lake County viticultural area by approximately 7 acres. The proposed viticultural areas and the established viticultural area that are the subject of this proposed rule lie entirely within the existing Clear Lake viticultural area, which, in turn, is within the larger, multicounty North Coast 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 these proposed additions and modification to its regulations.