Wine Import and Export in the United States

Moving wine across international borders involves a layered system of federal oversight, state-by-state compliance requirements, and labeling rules that can surprise even experienced trade professionals. This page covers how the U.S. import and export framework operates, who the governing bodies are, what the most common trade scenarios look like, and where the hard decision points tend to fall.

Definition and scope

Wine import and export in the United States refers to the regulated movement of finished wine products across national borders — inbound from foreign producers into U.S. commerce, or outbound from U.S. wineries into foreign markets. The scope is broader than it might appear at first glance. The U.S. imported approximately $7.3 billion worth of wine in 2022, with Italy, France, and New Zealand among the top source countries (U.S. International Trade Commission). On the export side, California accounts for roughly 90 percent of all U.S. wine exports by volume (Wine Institute), making it less a national story and more a California story with a federal framework around it.

Every bottle moving through either direction touches at least two federal agencies — the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for labeling and formula approval, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for entry and duties. The three-tier wine distribution system adds another layer of complexity for imported wine once it clears federal entry, because each state controls how alcohol is distributed and sold within its borders.

How it works

The import pathway follows a specific sequence. Before a wine can be sold in the U.S., it requires a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) from the TTB (TTB COLA requirements). The label must meet U.S. standards for mandatory information — including appellation, alcohol content, and sulfite disclosures — which frequently differ from the labeling norms of the exporting country. A Burgundy label that complies fully with French appellation rules may still need adjustments to clear TTB review.

After COLA approval, the physical shipment enters through CBP. Import duties on wine are set by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), with rates varying by wine type and origin country. Still wine bottled at 14 percent alcohol or below historically carries a rate of $0.05 per liter under standard trade terms, though preferential rates apply under agreements like the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (CBP HTS).

For U.S. wine moving outbound, the primary compliance burden shifts to the destination country's import requirements. The TTB issues export certificates of origin and age when requested, which many importing countries require. The Wine Institute maintains a market access database covering regulatory requirements in over 100 export destination countries.

Common scenarios

The trade landscape breaks into four distinct situations that importers and exporters encounter repeatedly:

  1. Bulk wine import — Wine arrives in tankers or flexitanks and is bottled domestically. This requires an additional TTB formula approval for any processing, and the final bottled product still needs a COLA before sale.
  2. Case goods import — Pre-bottled and labeled wine cleared through CBP at a designated port of entry. The COLA must be secured before shipment, not on arrival.
  3. Winery direct export — A U.S. producer ships to a foreign importer or distributor. Compliance is governed almost entirely by the destination country, with TTB involvement limited to documentation upon request.
  4. Re-export of imported wine — Wine originally imported for U.S. sale is subsequently exported. This triggers both CBP drawback provisions (potential duty recovery) and TTB recordkeeping requirements.

Understanding wine laws and labeling in the U.S. context is useful background here, because the COLA process applies equally to imported and domestically produced wines sold in interstate commerce.

Decision boundaries

The sharpest decision point for most importers is whether a wine qualifies under a trade agreement that reduces duties — and whether the origin documentation exists to support that claim. Misclassification under the HTS can result in CBP penalties, retroactive duty assessments, and shipment holds.

For exporters, the critical fork is whether to pursue direct relationships with foreign importers or work through an export management company. The former preserves margin and brand control; the latter reduces compliance burden significantly, particularly for wineries shipping to markets with complex import licensing requirements like Japan, South Korea, or China.

A second boundary involves direct-to-consumer wine shipping laws, which intersect with export law when U.S. consumers attempt to import small quantities directly from foreign producers — a scenario that remains legally murky in most states and is prohibited outright in several.

The broader context of American wine geography and production, covered across the New Zealand Wine Authority reference library, shapes export opportunity as much as any regulatory framework. Regions producing wines with strong international recognition — Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance — navigate export markets from a position of established demand. Newer appellations face a different calculus: building brand recognition abroad while managing the same federal compliance requirements as established names.

References

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