The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) has accepted for formal review a petition to create another American Viticultural Area in Idaho. The proposed new Willow Creek Idaho AVA would be subdivided from Idaho’s existing Snake River Valley AVA. The petition was prepared by Martha Cunningham of 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards.
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New Elkton Oregon Viticultural Area Established by TTB
By Chris Hermann on
Posted in Wine Law
On February 5, 2013, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) published a final rule establishing the 74,900-acre "Elkton Oregon" American viticultural area in Douglas County, Oregon. TTB issued this regulation in response to a petition filed by local vintners and grape growers and will allow the use of the name "Elkton, OR"…
TTB Publishes Notice of Rulemaking for Inwood Valley AVA
By Jake W. Storms on
On December 5, 2011, the TTB published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice No. 125) regarding the establishment of the Inwood Valley Viticultural Area in Shasta, California. If established, the new AVA would consist of a 28,000 acre area, the vast majority of which is currently not dedicated to, or known for, vineyards. The TTB…
TTB Rules to Expand Sonoma AVAs
By Jake W. Storms on
On Wednesday November 16, the TTB published a ruling (T.D. TTB-97, available here) amending the federal definition of the Russian River Valley viticultural area and the Northern Sonoma viticultural area, by expanding each. The action first began in August of 2008 when Gallo Family Vineyards submitted a petition for the amendment. After receiving numerous comments …
TTB Adopts New, Softer Rules for AVAs
By Jake W. Storms on
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has, in a final rule/treasury decision (available here), issued new and revised regulations with respect to three formerly confusing areas pertaining to American Viticultural Areas (AVAs): brand names that conflict with AVA designations, the AVA application process, and the existence of smaller AVAs inside currently…