(a) Sweetening of grape wines
Any natural grape wine may be sweetened after fermentation and before taxpayment with pure dry sugar or liquid sugar if the total solids content of the finished wine does not exceed 12 percent of the weight of the wine and the alcoholic content of the finished wine after sweetening is not more than 14 percent by volume; except that the use under this subsection of liquid sugar shall be limited so that the resultant volume will not exceed the volume which could result from the maximum authorized use of pure dry sugar only.
(b) High acid wines
(1) Amelioration
Before, during, and after fermentation, ameliorating materials consisting of pure dry sugar or liquid sugar, water, or a combination of sugar and water, may be added to natural grape wines of a winemaker's own production when such wines are made from juice having a natural fixed acid content of more than five parts per thousand (calculated before fermentation and as tartaric acid). Ameliorating material so added shall not reduce the natural fixed acid content of the juice to less than five parts per thousand, nor exceed 35 percent of the volume of juice (calculated exclusive of pulp) and ameliorating material combined.
(2) Sweetening
Any wine produced under this subsection may be sweetened by the producer thereof, after amelioration and fermentation, with pure dry sugar or liquid sugar if the total solids content of the finished wine does not exceed (A) 17 percent by weight if the alcoholic content is more than 14 percent by volume, or (B) 21 percent by weight if the alcoholic content is not more than 14 percent by volume. The use under this paragraph of liquid sugar shall be limited to cases where the resultant volume does not exceed the volume which could result from the maximum authorized use of pure dry sugar only.
(3) Wine spirits
Wine spirits may be added (whether or not wine spirits were previously added) to wine produced under this subsection only if the wine contains not more than 14 percent of alcohol by volume derived from fermentation.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5383, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 669, consisted of provisions similar to those comprising this section, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 85–859.
Amendments
1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–619, §3(b), substituted "not more than 14 percent" for "less than 14 percent".
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–619, §3(a), simplified production procedures and calculations, provided that the limitation on sweetening high acid wine is to be based upon the total solids content of the finished wine, authorized the use of liquid sugar but only to the extent that it did not increase the total volume of the finished wine above what it would be if the maximum authorized use had been made of dry sugar only, and inserted provisions making it clear that wine spirits may be added at more than one stage in the process of wine production.
1965—Pub. L. 89–44 divided subsec. (b) relating to high acid wines into pars. (1) and (2) and par. (2) into subpars. (A) to (E), struck out reserve inventory requirement with respect to the amelioration and sweetening of wines, authorized use of other than pure, dry sugar, and allowed limited use of liquid sugar at appropriate points where use of pure dry sugar had formerly been prescribed.
Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 90–619 effective on first day of first month which begins 90 days or more after Oct. 22, 1968, see section 6 of Pub. L. 90–619, set out as a note under section 5373 of this title.
Effective Date of 1965 Amendment
Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, §806(d)(2), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 164, provided that: "The amendments made by subsections (b) and (c) [amending this section and sections 5382, 5384, 5385, and 5392] shall take effect on January 1, 1966."
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