Bronco Wine Settles Labeling Case for $750,000

In the biggest wine-labeling settlement to date, federal regulators have accepted a $750,000 settlement from Bronco Wine Co. after a four-year investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms began investigating Bronco after receiving complaints about the company’s use of the name Rutherford Vineyards on its labels, an apparent reference to a grape-growing region. In order to use a geographic name, 85% of the grapes used in making a wine must come from that area, an ATF spokeswoman said. It was unclear where Bronco Wine’s grapes come from. The company, based in Ceres near Modesto in the San Joaquin Valley, issued a statement saying the settlement involves a brand name that it no longer uses, and that it is now using ATF-approved labels.