Course Introduction
Ever wondered what it means when a wine label references having Napa grapes in it?
Or it lists Napa in its brand name?
In this course we cover the federal and state of California laws which guide whether a wine qualifies for Napa in its brand name or for different types of Napa appellations.
Take a look at our course introduction video here which summarizes the legal requirements & examples we cover in this course specific to when Napa IS or IS NOT allowed to be used as either an appellation or brand name on labels or in any of the advertising for a wine.
Ever have any of these questions?
- When can Napa Valley be listed on a label?
- When can a Napa Valley sub AVA (Calistoga, Oakville, etc) be listed on a label?
- If a wine isn't made from Napa grapes can Napa be used in its brand name?
- If a wine isn't made from Napa grapes can Napa be anywhere on its label?
- Can more than one county be listed as an appellation on a wine label?
- Do you manage TTB label approvals as part of your job & wonder about the TTB requirements for the appellations you're listing?
If you answered yes to any of the above this course is for you!
Here's what you'll learn:
- What the federal and California agencies are that regulate the allowed uses of Napa on wine labels and advertising
- The federal regulations specific to the use of Napa in brand names for wine
- The federal minimum percentages for listing different types of appellations on wine labels
- The California state law which regulate the use of Napa on wine labels and advertising
- The California state law which requires listing Napa Valley on certain wine labels
What's included in the course:
- Five instructional videos
- Two of the videos are examples showing you different wine blends that do or do not qualify for Napa appellations
- Four quizzes to test your understanding
- Four handouts
- Opportunity to ask your questions along the way!
Course Curriculum
- Video 1: Course Introduction (4:49)
- Video 2: The TTB Regulations (7:30)
- Video 3: The California ABC Regulations (5:45)
- Video 4: Where the TTB & CA ABC do and do not overlap in their regulations (7:30)
- Video 5: Examples of wine blends that DO qualify for Napa (10:11)
- Video 6: Examples of wine blends that DO NOT qualify for Napa (7:25)
Meet Your Course Creators
Ann Reynolds
Ann Reynolds is the founder of the Winery Compliance Training Academy. A native of Napa, CA she began working at wineries during harvest of 1993 at Beringer Vineyards. From there followed time at Fetzer Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery and Caymus Vineyards totaling 16 years of wine production experience. 11 of those years were managing winery tracking, another term used for compliance. This turned out to be the ideal background to learn TTB compliance! As a result of learning compliance from those 16 years of "in the trenches" experience she decided it was time to start sharing her knowledge with others and began teaching winery compliance at Napa Valley College in 2006. Next, in 2009 Ann founded her consulting business Wine Compliance Alliance. In 2021 The Winery Compliance Training Academy was launched with the intent of reaching a nationwide audience seeking real world guidance in this specialized area where very little training is availabl
Abbey Lee
A native to Sonoma and Napa Valley wine countries, Abbey Lee grew up in performing arts, her spirit persistent with passions for story-telling and creating characters. She studied voice-acting as a young girl and has re-entered this world, studying at Voicetraxfor the past four years. Right after graduating Summa Cum Laude from The University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, she began her deep dive into the world wine sales and production at Benziger Family Winery. This is where it all started, and where she met Caitlin Phillips. After that is was off to Blenheim, New Zealand at Matua Winery for her first harvest. Back to California as a harvest intern at Kunde and the rest is history. She continued with theater throughout this venture and has found a way to blend the two. Abbey then met Ann through Caitlin and then the rest was REALLY history. Abbey proudly joins Ann Reynolds and Caitlin Phillips as the creative lead for our revolutionary WCTA courses
Caitlin Phillips
Caitlin started pouring wine for tourists and locals alike at Benziger Family Winery in 2011. The process of making wine was most intriguing to her and so she set on a path of doing harvests in New Zealand, California and France. While living abroad she was able to visit wine regions in Italy, Australia, England, Turkey and Switzerland. What always fascinated Caitlin was the different techniques, processes and regulations she learned about in each country. After returning to California, she completed the MBA in Wine Business program at Sonoma State. During this time she had transitioned into an administrative cellar role and crossed paths with Ann Reynolds. Caitlin's frustration with the vagaries of wine compliance and determination to figure them out were fostered by the guidance of Ann Reynolds, a leader in wine compliance! From there they set out to create a space for wine industry professionals to learn about wine compliance and connect with other professionals in the space
What our customers have to say
"Ann is a wealth of knowledge, and she's always working hard to make sure that she and her clients are updated on the latest compliance regulations. With a background in production, she can easily relate to her client's most specific questions and needs."
Dianne Norton, Procurement Manager, McBride Sisters Wine Company
