Federal Regulations - 4.27

Labeling and Advertising of Wine

4.27 Vintage Wine

(a) General. Vintage wine is wine labeled with the year of harvest of the grapes and made in accordance with the standards prescribed in classes 1, 2, or 3 of § 4.21. At least 95 percent of the wine must have been derived from grapes harvested in the labeled calendar year, and the wine must be labeled with an appellation of origin other than a country (which does not qualify for vintage labeling). The appellation shall be shown in direct conjunction with the designation required by § 4.32(a)(2), in lettering substantially as conspicuous as that designation. In no event may the quantity of wine removed from the producing winery, under labels bearing a vintage date, exceed the volume of vintage wine produced in that winery during the year indicated by the vintage date.

(b) American wine. A permittee who produced and bottled or packed the wine, or a person other than the producer who repackaged the wine in containers of 5 liters (or 1-gallon before January 1, 1979) or less may show the year of vintage upon the label if the person possesses appropriate records from the producer substantiating the year of vintage and the appellation of origin; and if the wine is made in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Imported wine. Imported wine may bear a vintage date if: (1) It is made in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section; (2) it is bottled in containers of 5 liters (or 1-gallon before January 1, 1979) or less prior to importation, or bottled in the United States from the original container of the product (showing a vintage date); (3) if the invoice is accompanied by, or the American bottler possesses, a certificate issued by a duly authorized official of the country of origin (if the country of origin authorizes the issuance of such certificates) certifying that the wine is of the vintage shown, that the laws of the country regulate the appearance of vintage dates upon the labels of wine produced for consumption within the country of origin, that the wine has been produced in conformity with those laws, and that the wine would be entitled to bear the vintage date if it had been sold within the country of origin.

Reference: Alcohol And Tobacco Tax And Trade Bureau
Department Of The Treasury
Code of Federal Regulations
Title 27, Volume 1
27CFR4.27

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