Opener
With the passage of Senate Bill No. 1013, beginning on January 1, 2024, wine and spirits will be included in California’s state container deposit system established by the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (known as the “Bottle Bill”). As such, wineries and distilleries will now be required to comply with the Bottle […]
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control announced today end dates for the temporary relief measures announced in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Depending on the specific regulatory relief in question, the relief granted by ABC, and the expanded privileges granted to many licensees during Covid, will come to an end on either […]
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has launched a new Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) portal to provide mandatory alcohol beverage service training and certification. Under the Responsible Beverage Services Training Act, starting on July 1, 2022, all California licensees with on-premise consumption privileges (including bars, restaurants, and wineries, breweries, and distilleries with tasting […]
California’s Proposition 65 warning regulations were recently amended to modify the delivery of the required state warnings for alcoholic beverages. The modified regulations somewhat ease compliance, as they will now allow for the required warning to be provided to the customer electronically for alcoholic beverages ordered online or via catalog. However, they muddle the standard […]
On December 29, 2020, the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published a final rule in the Federal Register that, among other things, expands the number of available standards of fill (or container/bottle sizes) for wine and distilled spirits, effective immediately. Under the final rule, wine may now use the following new standards of fill: […]
During all the chaos that has been 2020, alcohol beverage licensees and third party providers may have missed the enactment of a new law that actually went into effect near the end of 2019. The Marketplace Facilitator Act (the “Act”) has changed the rules and regulations regarding which businesses must collect and remit sales tax […]
On September 28, 2020, the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) issued TTB Ruling 2020-1 and TTB Procedure 2020-1 expanding the tolerance range for voluntary calorie statements in labeling and advertising alcohol beverages – making the TTB’s rules more consistent with the food labeling requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The TTB […]
On Tuesday, October 20, Napa County was approved to move to the Orange, Moderate Risk Level reopening tier under California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. As a result, effective Wednesday, October 21, many businesses will be able to expand their activities under the Orange Tier guidelines. Wineries will begin to be allowed indoor tasting, with […]
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 […]
Over the past forty-eight hours, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“CA ABC”) has provided additional regulatory relief to licensees, including information relevant to industry members engaged in fundraising in connection with Coronavirus-related charities. In addition, CA ABC and the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (”TTB”) announced that industry members will be permitted […]