Nine Lakes of Tennessee Now a Bonafide Wine Country
Published Date: 3/24/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting April 23, 2026, the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee becomes an official wine region, covering over 4,000 square miles in northeastern Tennessee. This new American Viticultural Area (AVA) helps local winemakers proudly label their wines with a unique origin, making it easier for wine lovers to find and enjoy wines from this special spot. No extra costs or changes for consumers, just a fresh new name on the wine map!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
New AVA gives local vintners a label
Starting April 23, 2026, the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee becomes an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) covering about 4,064 square miles in northeastern Tennessee. If you run a winery in this region, you can label wines with the AVA name when the wine meets the usual AVA labeling rules (for example, at least 85 percent of the wine must come from grapes grown in the AVA).
Label change requirement may cost some bottlers
If a wine label or brand uses the name "Nine Lakes of East Tennessee" but the wine is not eligible to use that AVA name (for example, less than 85 percent of the grapes are from the AVA), the bottler must change the brand or obtain approval of a new label to comply. That change can require reprinting labels and obtaining approvals for affected products.
No new reporting or paperwork added
TTB states this rule imposes no new reporting, recordkeeping, or other administrative requirements and certifies it will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. That means wineries in the region are not being saddled with new federal paperwork because of this AVA.
Consumers can identify wines by new AVA
The new AVA name gives wine buyers another way to find and identify wines made from grapes grown in that specific region. The AVA designation lets consumers look for "Nine Lakes of East Tennessee" on labels when choosing wines.
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Related Federal Register Documents
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-05730, Establishment of the Nashoba Valley Viticultural Area
The government just created the Nashoba Valley Viticultural Area in Worcester County, Massachusetts, covering about 18,367 acres. Starting April 23, 2026, winemakers in this area can proudly label their wines with this new name, helping customers know exactly where their wine comes from. This change helps local vintners stand out and gives wine lovers a fresh spot to explore on their next bottle hunt!
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