Medium urgency

Establishment of the Contra Costa Viticultural Area and Modification of the San Francisco Bay and Central Coast Viticultural Areas

TTB establishes the Contra Costa AVA and modifies San Francisco Bay and Central Coast AVAs, affecting wine labeling and appellation rules.

Aforeworn detected this change in the Alcohol Producers (TTB — Wine, Beer, Spirits) space on July 16, 2026 and published this briefing so affected operators are forewarned rather than caught off guard. It is rated Medium urgency. Wineries using San Francisco Bay or Central Coast AVAs, or seeking to use Contra Costa AVA should confirm how it applies to their specific situation before acting. There is a time constraint attached: Effective April 15, 2024; COLA applications submitted after that date must comply. Acting after that point can mean penalties, a lapsed licence, or lost eligibility — exactly the kind of surprise Aforeworn exists to prevent. Aforeworn monitors Alcohol Producers (TTB — Wine, Beer, Spirits) continuously and turns every detected change into a plain-English briefing like this one, so you always know first. Forewarned is forearmed.

What changed

New Contra Costa AVA created; boundaries of San Francisco Bay and Central Coast AVAs modified

Who it affects

Wineries using San Francisco Bay or Central Coast AVAs, or seeking to use Contra Costa AVA

What you must do

Review and update COLA applications for wines using affected AVAs; ensure compliance with new boundary definitions

Deadline

Effective April 15, 2024; COLA applications submitted after that date must comply

Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/15/2024-05476/establishment-of-the-contra-costa-viticultural-area-and-modification-of-the-san-francisco-bay-and

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