CSABrewpubs are strange hybrids. Because they span the no-man's land between the retail and supplier tiers, they are handled in unique ways by state regulatory agencies.
To keep your license in good standing requires more than just renewing it. You also need to bring it up-to-date whenever your company makes changes in ownership, management, or operations.
Very little is black and white in alcoholic beverage compliance. Here are four laws of "compliance relativity" to help guide your business in a relative regulatory environment.
Unfavorable government relations are the hidden high costs of a bad compliance job -- but those costs are avoidable. This article explains four characteristics of a GOOD job in government compliance.
It is no longer a million dollar prospect to start a winery. By entering into an alternating proprietorship, a grape grower or brand builder can become a vintner with just a few barrels to his name.
The only way to preserve the privilege of alternating proprietorships—the privilege of sharing winery premises and equipment—is to scrupulously use it right. Here’s how.
A third of all wine label applications are rejected. To obtain approval requires understanding many regulations, policies and procedures. Here is a summary of the important ones.
Contains a detailed report on the battle between Napa Valley Vintners Association and Bronco Wine Company over use of geographic brand names, and information on the "Napa truth in labeling law."
Advice for amateur wine makers on how to create their own winery legally.
Regulatory agencies are always watching vintners to make sure they don’t use illegal marketing methods. Beware that your new promotional program does not violate the three tier laws.
Part One of this article describes the two most common wine labeling mistakes wineries make -- and what to do when it happens to you.
Part Two of this article explains when you can expect a conditional label approval, when you can’t, and some tips for avoiding the need for a use up (temporary label approval).
What you don't know can hurt you! Here's an invaluable preview of all the governmental processes you'll need to handle BEFORE opening your alcoholic beverage-related business.
The decision to allow alternating proprietorships has saved the wine industry as we know it. What can you do to satisfy regulators, and keep this precious privilege?
The warnings required under Prop. 65 have changed, and so have the requirements for when and where they are needed. You'll find the updated requirements summarized and explained here.
Bottles that come off the bottling line without labels, aka shiners, need extra compliance care to avoid regulatory violations. And the penalties for slipping can be painful.
This article will provide you with the basic principles that govern winery-wholesaler relationships. Don’t get hitched without knowing the rules.
The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 brought sudden tax relief to the industry -- so sudden that TTB had little time to consider the implications and provide guidance. This article explains an important, previously unaddressed aspect of how the new credits will work.
It’s virtually impossible to know everything about the regulations for wine. Asking the right questions is key to find out what you need to know.
There's a fine art to getting a "yes" from a government regulator -- and you too can do it, if you follow the principles and guidelines given in this article.
Two important choices a new winery owner or brand builder makes are what to call his business and what to call his product. It’s easy to lose big if you don’t play by the rules of the name game.
Alcoholic beverage compliance is a complex world; and a good compliance person must respect not just the laws of the land, but also the more subtle laws that govern human interactions.
There are several different ways to transfer a wine business to new ownership, and different reasons to do it -- some of which unplanned, like death and divorce. This article helps you understand the options in advance.
The 2018 tax law promised to help the whole wine industry with sweeping tax reductions. When the dust settled, however, it became clear that the careless drafting and hasty enactment of the law took back some of the expected benefits and added some major headaches, explained in this article.
In addition to state and federal approvals, new brewpubs have local hurdles to leap. What do the zoning rules have to say about your plans? What do the neighbors think? Look ahead, and plan for success.