Federal Regulations

Federal Regulations

Federal Regulatory Issues Concerning Wine Kits

                 In the recent months, serious attention has been raised on issues surrounding the federal compliance of wineries utilizing wine kits and concentrates.

The severity of these issues have become very troublesome due to recent discoveries and subsequent enforcement activities conducted by officials covering a wide range of subjects including; varietal grape type labeling, minimum varietal contents, certificates of origin, contents declarations.

The regulatory issue that is themost important concerns that of Varietal Grape Type Labeling as cited in the code of Federal Regulations, which is as follows;

TITLE 27--
CHAPTER I PART 4 Subpart C Standards of Identity for Wine Sec. 4.23

Varietal (grape type) labeling.

(a) General. The names of one or more grape varieties may be used as
the type designation of a grape wine only if the wine is also labeled
with an appellation of origin as defined in Sec. 4.25a.
(b) One variety. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this
section, the name of a single grape variety may be used as the type
designation if not less than 75 percent of the wine is derived from
grapes of that variety, the entire 75 percent of which was grown in the
labeled appellation of origin area..

Subpart F_Production of Wine

Sec. 24.180  Use of concentrated and unconcentrated fruit juice.

Concentrated fruit juice reduced with water to its original density,
or to 22 degrees Brix, or to any degree of Brix

[[Page 589]]

between its original density and 22 degrees Brix, and unconcentrated
fruit juice reduced with water to not less than 22 degrees Brix, is
considered juice for the purpose of standard wine production.
Concentrated fruit juice reduced with water to any degree of Brix
greater than 22 degrees Brix may be further reduced with water to any
degree of Brix between its original density and 22 degrees Brix.The
proprietor, prior to using concentrated fruit juice in wine production,
shall obtain a statement in which the producer certifies the kind of
fruit from which it was produced and the total solids content of the
juice before and after concentration. Concentrated or unconcentrated
fruit juice may be used in juice or wine made from the same kind of
fruit for the purposes of chaptalizing or sweetening, as provided in
this part. Concentrated fruit juice, or juice which has been
concentrated and reconstituted, may not be used in standard wine
production if at any time it was concentrated to more than 80 degrees
Brix. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1383, as amended (26 U.S.C.
5382))

If you would like further information as to how this regulation may affect your business, please contact us at customerservice@uselitewines.com or call toll free 866.796.9463.

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