Even before you get to the point of printing your amazing wine label, you first need to make sure the label has all the proper government approvals. The most compelling design and the most tasty wine will never be successful if the proper legal steps aren’t taken early in the process. Customers often ask us about the proper approval procedures, and we do try to offer general guidance, but we aren’t regulatory or legal experts. Luckily, we have resources to help you!
Do It Yourself
If you are a small producer, curious about the law, or you have a limited budget, this online resource may be very helpful. This link will take you to an online PDF from TTB. Many thanks to our friend and customer, Pattie Bjornson from Bjornson Vineyards for bringing this to our attention. This very detailed 173 page manual was actually a handout from a seminar the TTB did in Portland back in 2010. Since times have changed and the TTB doesn’t come out for seminars very often, Pattie has held onto this book as her ‘bible of wine label rules’ ever since. Luckily, with the help of local Portland regulatory expert Grace Regulatory Consultants, we were able to find the book online. Janene reviewed the book and said most of it should still be current (more on her below). Cider – which wasn’t much of a thing in 2010 – is not fully covered in the online manual, but otherwise, the information is solid.
Remember, Rose City Label doesn’t give legal or regulatory advice, but if you want to do it yourself, this is a great place to start.
Full Service Option
If you are risk averse and want to make 100% sure you are starting on the right foot, contact Grace Regulatory Consultants directly. Janene is an excellent resource, she is passionate about the Craft Beverage industry, and she will give you all the advice you need. She has been a TTB investigator, worked in house a large Craft Beverage companies, and is now on her own serving her clients here in Portland.
Like we mentioned in our previous post – Work with Experts – we know the value of sticking to what we are best at – making it easy for companies of all sizes to get outstanding labels to help promote their products. For things that are adjacent to that, we are happy to refer you to a trusted expert. Being in business more than 85 years has allowed us to build a great list of industry partners. If you need help with your business or your product, we can help. Please call us today.