Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/590181
9 8 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | N o v - D e c 2 015 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m BY LINDSEY A. ZAHN + In the past several years, more than 30 lawsuits have been launched regarding statements and claims on alcoholic beverage labels. + The 2014 Supreme Court ruling involving Pom Won- derful and Coca-Cola may impact labeling and adver- tisements for wine. + Affirmative pre-market approval from the TTB, includ- ing COLAs, might simply be the bare minimum when it comes to lawsuits. + Wine marketers should be cautious of potential claims for misleading advertisements or unfair competition. AT A GLANCE Supreme Court pomegranate juice case could impact wine Label Lawsuit Lessons andcrafted. Handmade. All Natural. Art- fully crafted. What do these terms have in common? They all are found on labels or advertisements for alcoholic beverages recently subject to consumer class action law- suits or suits filed by competitors. In the past several years, well over 30 law- suits have been launched with regard to label statements and claims on alcoholic bever- age labels. While it's not proven to be the direct stimulus, many speculate that the 2014 Supreme Court decision Pom Wonderful v. Coca-Cola sparked an increased interest over claims on food and beverage labels. POM WONDERFUL V. COCA-COLA The U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA) has primary jurisdiction for ensuring the safety of most conventional food products