Brunello and you

[Roy Hersh]

The U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax, and Trade Bureau (TTB) will no longer require Italian government certification for imports of Brunello di Montalcino to the U.S., Italy’s agriculture ministry has announced.

http://www.decanter.com/news/290964.html

[Roy Hersh]

It used to be the BATF: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Then the agency redid itself and its image with a name change to the ATF Department -- leaving the Bureau -- but certainly not the Bureaucracy out of the department ... and now finally we have the aforementiond TTB. Things must get so very dull in that "other" Washington.

[Andy Velebil]

Actually a government agency can't have a 4-letter abbreviation, it's just not allowed

Oh, and a name change keeps people confused when they mail you a letter saying you're not in compliance with some arcane law from 100 years ago that no one knows about except the single Officer who found it in some old book and now wants to enforce it because it technically is still a law .

[Eric Menchen]

Actually a government agency can't have a 4-letter abbreviation, it's just not allowed

Correct. Only TCAs.

[Derek T.]

It used to be the BATF: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms.

You guys might not get this but it is amazing to me that the control of Firearms could ever be considered in the same breath as Alcohol and Tobacco.

It is no wonder you have the gun problems you do today

[Roy Hersh]

Derek,

You are correct of course. However, the real issue is the archaic laws which are still mandated by the 1933 repeal of Prohibition ammendment to our Constitution.

Pricing, flying with wine, direct shipping, winery direct sales and so many other topics could be discussed about this, but after all, considering 76 years have passed with almost no change ... it gets to be a depressing topic.

Fortunately, Brunello is another story!

[Andy Velebil]

Don't speak too soon, it looks like they are still going to require certification. My computer is having issues opening the press release from the TTB, but here is the link

http://www.ttb.gov/press/fy09/press-rel ... alcino.pdf

[Eric Menchen]

Here's the text, with my emphasis added:

Washington, D.C. - On October 20, 2009, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
(TTB) Administrator met with Luca Zaia, Italian Minister of Agriculture and with Giulio
Terzi di Sant'Agata, Italy’s Ambassador to the United States. The Government of Italy
requested the meeting to discuss the ongoing investigations into the improper blending
of several Italian wines including Brunello di Montalcino. Minister Zaia reassured TTB
that his office has taken full responsibility for the integrity of all 500 Italian wine
denominations and has ensured that none of the mislabeled products that have been
the subject of numerous press reports for months now are on the market. He stressed
that he has taken TTB concerns about the integrity of certain Italian wines seriously and
consequently mandated a heightened quality control and oversight role for the Ministry
of Agriculture. Minister Zaia also advised that the court case would be concluding soon
and that TTB would be provided with information on the final disposition of the cases as
soon as possible.

Contrary to numerous reports indicating that TTB will no longer require the Italian
government certification for imports of Brunello di Montalcino, TTB, at the meeting with
the Italian government representatives, emphasized the need to receive the prosecutors
report as soon as it is available to assist in determing the future need for and scope of
the certification process. At this time, TTB continues to enforce the certification
requirement and has no plans to lift this requirement.

[Roy Hersh]

Eric,

Glad to see the irony is not lost on you. If you ever give up your day job, the IRS has an open spot with your name on it.