Wine and the law: a brief history of U.S. label regulations

1933: As Prohibition is repealed by the 21st Amendment, the first federal wine rules require that varietal wines (e.g., Chardonnay, Syrah) contain 51% juice from that grape variety, and that wines indicating country, state or county appellation contain 51% juice from grapes grown in the specified appellation.

1978: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms amends wine label regulations. Provisions include standards requiring that (1) varietal wines must include 75% juice from that grape variety; (2) wines indicating country, state or county appellation must include 75% juice from grapes grown in the specified appellation; (3) wines bearing the name of an American viticultural area (defined with this regulation) must include 85% juice from grapes grown in that region; (4) vintage-dated wines must include 95% wine produced in that vintage year. A provision is made for geographic brand names that were in conflict with an AVA name to be differentiated by the addition of the word “brand” to the wine name.

1980: Augusta, Mo., is the first American viticultural area (AVA).

1987: Exceptions are made allowing some wine brand names that are in conflict with AVA names to be used without the word “brand” and without following the 85% rule. Separately, a sulfite health warning is added to labels.

1988: The Federal Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1988 provides health warnings on wine labels for pregnant women and people who operate cars.

2005: Request for comments on proposed labeling rules concerning potential allergens, nutrient information and ingredient labeling.

2006: Rule changes reduce the requirements for vintage-dated wines from state or county appellations to 85% of the wine in the bottle (produced in a vintage year). The 95% rule set in 1978 is unchanged for AVA designated wines.

2007: Rules are proposed to allow certain brand names that conflict with new AVAs, and to differentiate AVAs from sub-AVAs.

-- Corie Brown

Source: The Wine Institute