27 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter F - PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES

This document informs the public that the maximum penalty for violations of the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act (ABLA) is being adjusted in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended. Prior to the publication of this document, any person who violated the provisions of the ABLA was subject to a civil penalty of not more than $19,787, with each day constituting a separate offense. This document announces that this maximum penalty is being increased to $20,111.

In this document, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is amending its regulations governing the importation of distilled spirits, wine, beer and malt beverages, tobacco products, processed tobacco, and cigarette papers and tubes. The amendments in this document clarify and streamline import procedures, and support the implementation of the International Trade Data System and the filing of import information electronically. The amendments include providing the option for importers to file import-related data electronically when filing entry or entry summary data electronically with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as an alternative to current TTB requirements that importers submit paper documents to CBP upon importation.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the 133-square mile “Dahlonega Plateau” viticultural area in portions of Lumpkin and White Counties, Georgia. The proposed viticultural area does not lie within or contain 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 proposing to amend its regulations pertaining to the production of wine and in particular in regard to the permissible treatments that may be applied to wine and to juice from which wine is made. These proposed amendments are in response to requests from wine industry members to authorize certain wine treating materials and processes not currently authorized by TTB regulations. TTB invites comments on the proposed regulatory changes described in this document, as well as on other wine treatment issues for which regulatory amendments are not proposed in this document.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to amend its wine labeling regulations by adding a number of new names to the list of grape variety names approved for use in designating American wines. TTB also proposes to remove one existing entry and replace it with a slightly different name, and to correct the spelling of another existing entry. The proposed amendments would allow wine bottlers to use these additional approved grape variety names on wine labels and in wine advertisements.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the 202,476-acre “Petaluma Gap” viticultural area in portions of Sonoma and Marin Counties in California. TTB also proposes to expand the boundary of the existing 3 million-acre North Coast viticultural area by 28,077 acres in order to include the entire proposed Petaluma Gap viticultural area within it. The proposed Petaluma Gap viticultural area would also partially extend outside of the established Sonoma Coast viticultural area, but TTB is not proposing to modify the boundary of the Sonoma 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 proposals.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) establishes the approximately 2,400-square mile “Appalachian High Country” viticultural area in all or portions of the following counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, and Watauga Counties in North Carolina; Carter and Johnson Counties in Tennessee; and Grayson County in Virginia. The viticultural area is not located within any other 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.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to expand the approximately 2.25 million-acre “Outer Coastal Plain” viticultural area in southeastern New Jersey by approximately 32,932 acres. The established Outer Coastal Plain viticultural area and the proposed expansion area do not lie within any other 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) establishes the approximately 526,000-acre “Willcox” viticultural area in portions of Graham and Cochise Counties in southeastern Arizona. The “Willcox” viticultural area is not located within any other 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.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is amending its regulations concerning denatured alcohol and products made with industrial alcohol. The amendments eliminate outdated specially denatured spirits formulas from the regulations, reclassify some specially denatured spirits formulas as completely denatured alcohol formulas, and issue some new general-use formulas for manufacturing products with specially denatured spirits. The amendments remove unnecessary regulatory burdens on the industrial alcohol industry, as well as on TTB, and align the regulations with current industry practice. The amendments also make other improvements and clarifications, as well as a number of minor technical changes and corrections to the regulations.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) establishes the approximately 2,760-square mile “Tip of the Mitt” viticultural area in all or portions of Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Alpena, and Antrim Counties in Michigan. The viticultural area is not located within, nor does it contain, any other 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.

This interim final rule implements the provisions of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, with respect to the civil penalty provision of the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1988 (ABLA). Specifically, this interim final rule increases the maximum civil monetary penalty for violations of the provisions of the ABLA from $10,000 to $19,787, in accordance with Federal law.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to amend its labeling and recordkeeping regulations in 27 CFR part 24 to provide that any standard grape wine containing 7 percent or more alcohol by volume that is covered by a certificate of exemption from label approval may not be labeled with a varietal (grape type) designation, a type designation of varietal significance, a vintage date, or an appellation of origin unless the wine is labeled in compliance with the standards set forth in the appropriate sections of 27 CFR part 4 for that label information. TTB is also proposing to amend its part 4 wine labeling regulations to include a reference to the new part 24 requirement.