Wine Importers and Exporters Key Terms

Learn about the requirements for importing and exporting wine

United States wine importers must comply with a number of regulations to participate in this practice. To import wines into the United States, a vintner must obtain certification from the federal government. Exporters also have their own set of rules. To export wine, a vintner is required to comply with labeling standards from the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau. These standards help to identify the origins of the wine and any allergy information available.

 

Certificates of label approval (COLAs)

A certificate of label approval is a certificate that provides documentation for a specific wine label. It certifies that the contents and design of the label have been approved for use nationally by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau.
Try: The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission answers frequently asked questions about applying for and maintaining a certificate of label approval.

Customs duties

A customs duty is a tax imposed on the import or export of goods. Wine manufacturers must pay customs duties in most countries where U.S. wine is imported.
Try: The Alcohol and Tobacco and Trade Bureau provides the laws and regulations for import and export of wine and other alcoholic products, including information on customs duties and other taxes imposed on the product.

Standards of fill

Some countries importing and exporting wine have requirements, or standards of fill, regulating the size of containers that are used to import and export wine or other alcoholic beverages.
Try: TTB.gov provides more information on standards of fill for alcohol products.

Mutual Acceptance Agreement on Oenological Practices (MAA)

The Mutual Acceptance Agreement on Oenological Practices is an agreement between the United States and a number of other countries that export wine to the U.S. The agreement recognizes the difference in winemaking processes, but still allows the wine to be exported to the U.S. if it meets certain standards.
Try: The World Wine Trade Group provides the specifics on the Mutual Acceptance Agreement on Oenological Practices.

Wine labeling rules

Wine labeling rules in the United States regulate the content that must appear on a wine label. This information includes the appellation, grape type, alcohol content and allergy information.
Try: GPO Access provides the complete text for Part 4 of Title 27 which describes the rules for labeling wine.

Grape name or grape variety

Grape names are the names that distinguish one type of grape from another. Wine producers that import and export product must specify what type of grape the wine is made from on the label.
Try: Professional Friends of Wine provides the history of varietal wine labeling and the changes that have been made to make the grape variety clearer to the consumer.

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