As the demand for more natural, relatively healthy products continues to grow, we are happy to pass along this guidance from TTB regarding Organic claims on your labels. Organic wine labels require special approval. The requirements to call your wine, beer, or distilled spirits ‘Organic’ are very strict. This is a serious designation, and a big commitment for producers. If you want to go down the road to Organic certification for your product, here are some good resources to start with:
Cooperating with Department of Agriculture
Because the regulation of Organic products generally falls outside the scope of the TTB (which provides label approvals for alcoholic beverages) there is a very detailed agreement between the two agencies. That memo, along with other guidelines, are published on this page:
Click here to see this page. There is also an excellent FAQ section to get the basic concepts on this topic. This page covers all types of Organic alcohol products, with specific guidance on beer, wine, and spirits.
Examples for Organic Wine Labels
Click here to see this page. Thankfully, this 8-page PDF provides many good examples of correct (and incorrect) Organic wine labels. Sometimes seeing the wrong examples is almost as helpful as seeing the correct ones. There are very specific requirements to make sure you are making correct, approved claims about the ingredients, the production techniques, and the finished product.
Trust the Experts – Find Good Examples
It is always wise to begin surveying the market leaders – what do their labels look like? What logos and certificates do they provide on their labels? Are they in your local area or AVA? Perhaps you could meet them and talk about their journey to Organic Wine Label certification? Also, lean on your vendors – suppliers of equipment, glass, labels and other items can often provide a wealth of knowledge in specific areas. Don’t try to learn everything alone – connect with your peers and learn from their experience. Most people are happy to share knowledge.
We Can Help!
If it is a label printing question, we can help. If it is regulatory or design related, we can probably direct you to the proper resource. Experience and a strong network are very helpful when you are starting down a new path. Call us today – we can help. Cheers!