[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 27, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 27CFR4.36]

[Page 30-31]
 
            TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS
 
 CHAPTER I--BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                TREASURY
 
PART 4--LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF WINE--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart D--Labeling Requirements for Wine
 
Sec. 4.36  Alcoholic content.

    (a) Alcoholic content shall be stated in the case of wines 
containing more than 14 percent of alcohol by volume, and, in the case 
of wine containing 14 percent or less of alcohol by volume, either the 
type designation ``table'' wine (``light'' wine) or the alcoholic 
content shall be stated. Any statement of alcoholic content shall be 
made as prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section.
    (b) Alcoholic content shall be stated in terms of percentage of 
alcohol by volume, and not otherwise, as provided in either paragraph 
(b)(1) or (2) of this section:
    (1) ``Alcohol ---- % by volume,'' or similar appropriate phrase; 
Provided, that if the word ``alcohol'' and/or ``volume'' are 
abbreviated, they shall be shown as ``alc.'' (alc) and/or ``vol.'' 
(vol), respectively. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this 
section, a tolerance of 1 percent, in the case of wines containing more 
than 14 percent of alcohol by volume, and of 1.5 percent, in the case of 
wines containing 14 percent or less of alcohol by volume, will be 
permitted either above or below the stated percentage.
    (2) ``Alcohol ---- % to ---- % by volume,'' or similar appropriate 
phrase; Provided, that if the word ``alcohol'' and/or ``volume'' are 
abbreviated, they shall be shown as ``alc.'' (alc) and/or ``vol.'' 
(vol), respectively. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this 
section, a range of not more than 2 percent, in the case of wines 
containing more than 14 percent of alcohol by volume, and of not more 
than 3 percent, in the case of wines containing 14 percent or less of 
alcohol by volume, will be permitted between the minimum and maximum 
percentages stated, and no tolerances will be permitted either below 
such minimum or above such maximum.
    (c) Regardless of the type of statement used and regardless of 
tolerances

[[Page 31]]

normally permitted in direct statements and ranges normally permitted in 
maximum and minimum statements, alcoholic content statements, whether 
required or optional, shall definitely and correctly indicate the class, 
type and taxable grade of the wine so labeled and nothing in this 
section shall be construed as authorizing the appearance upon the labels 
of any wine of an alcoholic content statement in terms of maximum and 
minimum percentages which overlaps a prescribed limitation on the 
alcoholic content of any class, type, or taxable grade of wine, or a 
direct statement of alcoholic content which indicates that the alcoholic 
content of the wine is within such a limitation when in fact it is not.

[T.D. 6521, 25 FR 13835, Dec. 29, 1960, as amended by T.D. ATF-275, 53 
FR 27046, July 18, 1988]