Collapse to view only § 5382. Cellar treatment of natural wine

§ 5381. Natural wine

Natural wine is the product of the juice or must of sound, ripe grapes or other sound, ripe fruit, made with such cellar treatment as may be authorized under section 5382 and containing not more than 21 percent by weight of total solids. Any wine conforming to such definition except for having become substandard by reason of its condition shall be deemed not to be natural wine, unless the condition is cor­rected.

(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1383; amended Pub. L. 96–39, title VIII, § 807(a)(48), July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 288.)
§ 5382. Cellar treatment of natural wine
(a) Proper cellar treatment
(1) In generalProper cellar treatment of natural wine constitutes—
(A) subject to paragraph (2), those practices and procedures in the United States, whether historical or newly developed, of using various methods and materials to correct or stabilize the wine, or the fruit juice from which it is made, so as to produce a finished product acceptable in good commercial practice in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary; and
(B) subject to paragraph (3), in the case of wine produced and imported subject to an international agreement or treaty, those practices and procedures acceptable to the United States under such agreement or treaty.
(2) Recognition of continuing treatment
(3) Certification of practices and procedures for imported wine
(A) In generalIn the case of imported wine produced after December 31, 2004, the Secretary shall accept the practices and procedures used to produce such wine, if, at the time of importation—
(i) the Secretary has on file or is provided with a certification from the government of the producing country, accompanied by an affirmed laboratory analysis, that the practices and procedures used to produce the wine constitute proper cellar treatment under paragraph (1)(A),
(ii) the Secretary has on file or is provided with such certification, if any, as may be required by an international agreement or treaty under paragraph (1)(B), or
(iii) in the case of an importer that owns or controls or that has an affiliate that owns or controls a winery operating under a basic permit issued by the Secretary, the importer certifies that the practices and procedures used to produce the wine constitute proper cellar treatment under paragraph (1)(A).
(B) Affiliate defined
(b) Specifically authorized treatmentsThe practices and procedures specifically enumerated in this subsection shall be deemed proper cellar treatment for natural wine:
(1) The preparation and use of pure concentrated or unconcentrated juice or must. Concentrated juice or must reduced with water to its original density or to not less than 22 degrees Brix or unconcentrated juice or must reduced with water to not less than 22 degrees Brix shall be deemed to be juice or must, and shall include such amounts of water to clear crushing equipment as regulations prescribed by the Secretary may provide.
(2) The addition to natural wine, or to concentrated or unconcentrated juice or must, from one kind of fruit, of wine spirits (whether or not tax-paid) distilled in the United States from the same kind of fruit; except that (A) the wine, juice, or concentrate shall not have an alcoholic span in excess of 24 percent by volume after the addition of wine spirits, and (B) in the case of still wines, wine spirits may be added in any State only to natural wines produced by fermentation in bonded wine cellars located within the same State.
(3) Amelioration and sweetening of natural grape wines in accordance with section 5383.
(4) Amelioration and sweetening of natural wines from fruits other than grapes in accordance with section 5384.
(5) In the case of effervescent wines, such preparations for refermentation and for dosage as may be acceptable in good commercial practice, but only if the alcoholic span of the finished product does not exceed 14 percent by volume.
(6) The natural darkening of the sugars or other elements in juice, must, or wine due to storage, concentration, heating processes, or natural oxidation.
(7) The blending of natural wines with each other or with heavy-bodied blending wine or with concentrated or unconcentrated juice, whether or not such juice contains wine spirits, if the wines, juice, or wine spirits are from the same kind of fruit.
(8) Such use of acids to correct natural deficiencies and stabilize the wine as may be acceptable in good commercial practice.
(9) The addition—
(A) to natural grape or berry wine of the winemaker’s own production, of volatile fruit-flavor concentrate produced from the same kind and variety of grape or berry at a plant qualified under section 5511, or
(B) to natural fruit wine (other than grape or berry) of the winemaker’s own production, of volatile fruit-flavor concentrate produced from the same kind of fruit at such a plant,
so long as the proportion of the volatile fruit-flavor concentrate to the wine does not exceed the proportion of the volatile fruit-flavor concentrate to the original juice or must from which it was produced. The transfer of volatile fruit-flavor concentrate from a plant qualified under section 5511 to a bonded wine cellar and its storage and use in such a cellar shall be under such applications and bonds, and under such other requirements, as may be provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(c) Other authorized treatment
(d) Use of juice or must from which volatile fruit flavor has been removedFor purposes of this part, juice, concentrated juice, or must processed at a plant qualified under section 5511 may be deemed to be pure juice, concentrated juice, or must even though volatile fruit flavor has been removed if, at a plant qualified under section 5511 or at the bonded wine cellar, there is added to such juice, concentrated juice, or must, or (in the case of a bonded wine cellar) to wine of the winemaker’s own production made therefrom, either the identical volatile flavor removed or—
(1) in the case of natural grape or berry wine of the winemaker’s own production, an equivalent quantity of volatile fruit-flavor concentrate produced at such a plant and derived from the same kind and variety of grape or berry, or
(2) in the case of natural fruit wine (other than grape or berry wine) of the winemaker’s own production, an equivalent quantity of volatile fruit-flavor concentrate produced at such a plant and derived from the same kind of fruit.
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1383; amended Pub. L. 88–653, §§ 1, 2, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1085; Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 806(c)(1), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 164; Pub. L. 90–619, § 2, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 108–429, title II, § 2002(a), Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2588; Pub. L. 109–432, div. D, title III, § 3007, Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3176.)
§ 5383. Amelioration and sweetening limitations for natural grape wines
(a) Sweetening of grape wines
(b) High acid wines
(1) Amelioration
(2) Sweetening
(3) Wine spirits
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1384; amended Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 806(b)(1), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 162; Pub. L. 90–619, § 3, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237.)
§ 5384. Amelioration and sweetening limitations for natural fruit and berry wines
(a) In general
(b) Ameliorated fruit and berry wines
(1) Any natural fruit or berry wine (other than grape wine) of a winemaker’s own production may, if not made under subsection (a) of this section, be ameliorated to correct high acid span. Ameliorating material calculations and accounting shall be separate for wines made from each different kind of fruit.
(2) Pure dry sugar or liquid sugar may be used in the production of wines under this subsection for the purpose of correcting natural deficiencies, but not to such an extent as would reduce the natural fixed acid in the corrected juice or wine to five parts per thousand. The quantity of sugar so used shall not exceed the quantity which would have been required to adjust the juice, prior to fermentation, to a total solids span of 25 degrees (Brix). Such sugar shall be added prior to the completion of fermentation of the wine. After such addition of the sugar, the wine or juice shall be treated and accounted for as provided in section 5383(b), covering the production of high acid grape wines, except that—
(A) Natural fixed acid shall be calculated as malic acid for apple wine and as citric acid for other fruit and berry wines, instead of tartaric acid;
(B) Juice adjusted with pure dry sugar or liquid sugar as provided in this paragraph shall be treated in the same manner as original natural juice under the provisions of section 5383(b); except that if liquid sugar is used, the volume of water contained therein must be deducted from the volume of ameliorating material authorized;
(C) Wines made under this subsection shall have a total solids span of not more than 21 percent by weight, whether or not wine spirits have been added; and
(D) Wines made exclusively from any fruit or berry with a natural fixed acid of 20 parts per thousand or more (before any correction of such fruit or berry) shall be entitled to a volume of ameliorating material not in excess of 60 percent (in lieu of 35 percent).
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1385; amended Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 806(b)(2), (c)(2), (3), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 163, 164; Pub. L. 90–619, § 3(b), Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237; Pub. L. 105–34, title XIV, § 1417(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 1048.)
§ 5385. Specially sweetened natural wines
(a) Definition
(b) Cellar treatment
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1386; amended Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 806(c)(4), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 164; Pub. L. 90–619, §§ 3(b), 4, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237.)
§ 5386. Special natural wines
(a) In general
(b) Cellar treatment
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1386; amended Pub. L. 90–619, § 5, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)
§ 5387. Agricultural wines
(a) In general
(b) Limitations
(c) Restriction on blending
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1386; amended Pub. L. 90–619, § 5, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1237; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)
§ 5388. Designation of wines
(a) Standard wines
(b) Other wines
(c) Use of semi-generic designations
(1) In general
Semi-generic designations may be used to designate wines of an origin other than that indicated by such name only if—
(A) there appears in direct conjunction therewith an appropriate appellation of origin disclosing the true place of origin of the wine, and
(B) the wine so designated conforms to the standard of identity, if any, for such wine contained in the regulations under this section or, if there is no such standard, to the trade understanding of such class or type.
(2) Determination of whether name is semi-­generic
(A) In general
(B) Certain names treated as semi-generic
(3) Special rule for use of certain semi-generic designations
(A) In general
In the case of any wine to which this paragraph applies—
(i) paragraph (1) shall not apply,
(ii) in the case of wine of the European Community, designations referred to in subparagraph (C)(i) may be used for such wine only if the requirement of subparagraph (B)(ii) is met, and
(iii) in the case any other wine bearing a brand name, or brand name and fanciful name, semi-generic designations may be used for such wine only if the requirements of clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph (B) are met.
(B) Requirements
(i) The requirement of this clause is met if there appears in direct conjunction with the semi-generic designation an appropriate appellation of origin disclosing the origin of the wine.
(ii) The requirement of this clause is met if the wine conforms to the standard of identity, if any, for such wine contained in the regulations under this section or, if there is no such standard, to the trade understanding of such class or type.
(iii) The requirement of this clause is met if the person, or its successor in interest, using the semi-generic designation held a Certificate of Label Approval or Certificate of Exemption from Label Approval issued by the Secretary for a wine label bearing such brand name, or brand name and fanciful name, before March 10, 2006, on which such semi-generic designation appeared.
(C) Wines to which paragraph applies
(i) In general
(ii) Exception
This paragraph shall not apply to wine which—
(I) contains less than 7 percent or more than 24 percent alcohol by volume,(II) is intended for sale outside the United States, or(III) does not bear a brand name.
(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1387; amended Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 105–34, title IX, § 910(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 877; Pub. L. 109–432, div. A, title IV, § 422(a), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2972.)