LEX VINI

CA ABC and TTB Provide Guidance to Wineries on Virtual Tastings

In light of the wide-spread shut-downs and disruptions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, both the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau have recently provided guidance to wineries that are now venturing into the new world of “virtual” wine tastings that occur online.

ABC’s latest Notice of Regulatory Relief on Virtual Wine Tastings, issued on Friday April 24, provided certain guidelines for wineries conducting such virtual tastings while their licensed wine premises or tasting rooms are closed:

  • Samples or tastes for wine tastings cannot be given for free to consumers.  Such samples or tastes must either be sold to the consumer, or included as part of a sale of wine or other products to the consumer.
  • Any wine shipped to consumers, including small tasting samples, must be sent in a manufacturer sealed container.
  • While there are no limits on the size of the tasting sample, any containers in which the tasting samples are sent must meet the federal regulatory guidelines for both labeling and standards of fill and any applicable state labeling regulations.
    • Acceptable standards for fill for wine under federal law include the following: 3 Liters, 1.5 Liters, 1 Liter, 750ml, 50ml, 375ml, 187ml, 100ml (3.4 fl. oz.) and 50ml (1.7 fl. oz).
    • Importantly, this means that shipping “tastes” to consumers in small vials that do not meet the above criteria would not be legal under federal or state law.
  • Such shipments are subject to sales and/or other applicable taxes, just as typical direct to consumer sales would be.
  • In accordance with ABC’s previous regulatory guidance, ABC is temporarily allowing the free shipment of wine to consumers, including samples for virtual wine tastings, during the Covid-19 emergency.
  • Finally, it should be noted that the ABC’s latest Notice of Regulatory Relief specifically applies to the sale and shipping of wine and tasting samples within California.  Any sales and shipments of wines, including tasting samples, to consumers outside of California will need to comply with the laws of the applicable state to which the wines will be shipped.

The full text of the Third Notice of Regulatory Relief can be found here.

In response to an inquiry by Wine Institute, TTB provided guidance regarding virtual tasting samples being provided by wineries to consumers.   (see – https://wineinstitute.org/news-alerts/tasting-samples-for-virtual-winery-experiences-approved-by-ttb/ )

Per Wine Institute, TTB has stated that it will treat these wines just like any other taxable removals, subject to standard production and labeling requirements, payment of excise tax and applicable reporting. TTB’s guidance included the following:

  • As noted above, samples must be provided in an approved standard of fill.
  • Wine tasting containers must be properly labeled.
  1. If the tasting sample is a wine that already has an approved Certificate of Label Approval (“COLA”), the winery is permitted to change the net contents on the wine as an allowable revision without having to submit a new COLA. If no COLA was previously obtained, the winery must apply for and obtain COLA approval prior to labeling of the wine tasting sample.
  2. As a reminder, domestic wines must include the following information on the brand or back label as required under the regulations:  Brand name, Class and type designation, Appellation of origin (if required), Alcohol content, Bottler’s name and address statement, Government health warning statement, Net contents and Sulfite declaration. Assuming that the tasting samples being sent to consumers are in containers smaller than 187ml, please note that the minimum type size for all of the foregoing under federal regulations is 1mm.
  • As noted above, wines use for tasting samples are treated just like any other removals for sales or consumption – the wines must be tax paid, all required records must be kept and all required reports must be filed.  Shipments of these containers must be treated the same as other types of removals from bond – for example, the wine must be tax-determined, and wineries must maintain the required removal from bond records.

For additional information on conducting virtual wine tastings, please contact Bahaneh Hobel or John Trinidad.

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