On March 3rd, TTB published two final rules in the Federal Register the first which modified portions of currently established AVAs and the second which establishes a new AVA. The first rule alters an existing Viticultural Area in Oregon and the second alters an forms a viticultural area in sections of Iowa and Missouri. 

• Expansion of the Willamette Valley Viticultural Area: The first final rule expands the Willamette Valley Viticultural Area by approximately 29 square miles, adding two vineyards covering 508 acres. The original petition was received by TTB from  Steve Thomson, the executive vice president of King Estate Winery in Eugene, Oregon. The expansion is located at the southern tip of the current AVA’s boundaries. The area to be included in the expansion was not previously part of another AVA and, interestingly, neither of the two vineyards existed at the time that the Willamette Valley AVA was established (in 1983). The final rule is effective April 4, 2016. 
• Establishment of the Loess Hills District Viticultural Area: The second final rule establishes a new AVA in sections of Iowa and Missouri called the Loess Hills District Viticultural Area. The AVA comprises of approximately 12,897-square miles in western Iowa and northwestern Missouri and is not presently part of another AVA. The original petition was filed by Shirley Frederiksen, on behalf of the Western Iowa Grape Growers Association and the Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development organization. TTB published a notice in the Federal Register on June 18, 2015, but did not receive any comments. Despite such, TTB found the petition provided evidence in support of recognizing the Loess Hills District Viticultural Area. The final rule is effective April 4, 2016.

For more information on wine or alcohol law, AVAs, or TTB matters, please contact Lindsey Zahn.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is for general information purposes only, is not intended to constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship results. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice.