Week of March 21, 2008
Greetings! Hope you are having an exceptional and worthy week! This week's offerings include an expansion of two California AVAs, the establishment of the Lehigh Valley viticultural area, and a TTB settlement with Diageo.
In the TTB Newsletter, we compile the top TTB news of the week and other helpful information about the Bureau and the Federal alcohol and tobacco laws and regulations we enforce. Please send any questions and/or comments to Susan Stewart Evans, Executive Liaison for Industry Matters (susan.stewart-evans@ttb.gov) and/or Frosty Chapman, State Liaison (forrest.chapman@ttb.gov). |
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TTB ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF TWO CALIFORNIA AVAs
TTB published final rules in the Federal Register expanding the Alexander Valley and San Francisco Bay viticultural areas in California. T.D. TTB - 65 expands the Alexander Valley viticultural area in Sonoma County, California, by 1,300 acres along its northwestern boundary line.
T.D. TTB - 67 expands the San Francisco Bay viticultural area in northern California. The expansion adds 88 square miles to the viticultural area to its north in Solano County, California.
These final rules become effective April 10, 2008. Please click here to see the Federal Register publication for the Alexander Valley expansion, and click here to view the final rule on the San Francisco Bay expansion.
TTB ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF LEHIGH VALLEY VITICULTURAL AREA
We have published a final rule in the Federal Register establishing the Lehigh Valley viticultural area. This final rule establishes the 1,888 square mile Lehigh Valley viticutlural area in southeastern Pennsylvania in portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon, and Monroe Counties. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. This final rule becomes effective April 10, 2008. Please click here to see the Federal Register publication for the establishment of the Lehigh Valley.
DIAGEO REACHES SETTELEMENT WITH TTB
TTB announced its acceptance of a $100,000 Offer-in-Compromise submitted by Diageo North America, Inc., of Norwalk, Connecticut, to resolve alleged violations of the Internal Revenue Code. The Offer-in-Compromise stemmed from the proponents alleged failure to file a timely return and timely pay tax as required by 26 U.S.C. Sections 5061, 6651, and 6656 of the Internal Revenue Code. The proponent is a duly qualified distilled spirits plant, bonded winery, and brewery.