Wine Labs Research · USA / Regulation / Imports
New US wine labels in 2026: what TTB approvals show
Published . TTB Certificates of Label Approval, approved to 2026-10-22.
The TTB approved 76,514 wine labels from January to September 2026, +2% on the same months of 2025. Every wine sold across state lines in the US needs one, so approvals show what producers and importers plan to sell.
Imported labels drove the change. They fell 23% in 2025 and rose 18% in 2026.
76,514
Wine labels approved, Jan–Sep 2026
+56%
Imported labels, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025
25,509
Wine brands with a new label
Approvals by quarter
Q4 2025 was the lowest quarter in the series. It includes the 43-day US federal government shutdown in October and November 2025.
Wine label approvals per quarter
Approved wine labels. 2026 quarters are darker.
French labels came back
French wine labels fell from 25,688 in 2024 to 19,353 in 2025, then rose to 22,252 (January–September each year).
Approved wine labels by origin, January–September.
| Origin | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 25,688 | 19,353 | 22,252 | +15% |
| California | 14,389 | 14,913 | 14,081 | -6% |
| Italy | 11,773 | 10,636 | 11,286 | +6% |
| Spain | 4,321 | 3,669 | 3,925 | +7% |
| Oregon | 2,242 | 2,373 | 2,276 | -4% |
| Washington | 2,233 | 1,920 | 1,998 | +4% |
| Portugal | 1,265 | 1,118 | 1,440 | +29% |
| Argentina | 1,607 | 1,518 | 1,427 | -6% |
| American | 1,605 | 1,434 | 1,240 | -14% |
| Texas | 1,183 | 1,451 | 1,237 | -15% |
| New York | 1,177 | 1,119 | 1,070 | -4% |
| Chile | 933 | 1,113 | 1,020 | -8% |
| New Zealand | 886 | 1,691 | 881 | -48% |
| Michigan | 933 | 940 | 856 | -9% |
| Germany | 1,034 | 816 | 844 | +3% |
| Japan | 655 | 488 | 835 | +71% |
Fewer rosé and Pinot Noir labels
Rosé labels are -14% on 2024. Imported sake labels are +76% on 2025.
Pinot Noir labels are -13% on 2024 and Zinfandel -24%. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc held steady.
Approved wine labels by grape named on the application, January–September.
| Grape | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 5,219 | 5,421 | 5,212 | 0% |
| Chardonnay | 4,843 | 4,613 | 4,652 | -4% |
| Pinot Noir | 5,129 | 4,644 | 4,479 | -13% |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 2,333 | 2,385 | 2,429 | +4% |
| Merlot | 2,037 | 1,948 | 1,840 | -10% |
| Syrah | 2,126 | 1,885 | 1,778 | -16% |
| Cabernet Franc | 1,665 | 1,529 | 1,569 | -6% |
| Riesling | 1,522 | 1,305 | 1,290 | -15% |
| Malbec | 1,513 | 1,311 | 1,203 | -20% |
| Grenache | 1,249 | 1,092 | 1,135 | -9% |
| Tempranillo | 960 | 822 | 888 | -7% |
| Sangiovese | 836 | 823 | 794 | -5% |
| Pinot Grigio | 823 | 760 | 707 | -14% |
| Petit Verdot | 718 | 691 | 647 | -10% |
| Zinfandel | 804 | 747 | 611 | -24% |
Labels by wine type
Approved wine labels by TTB class, January–September.
| Class | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table Red Wine | 28,723 | 25,142 | 26,034 | +4% |
| Table White Wine | 22,969 | 20,287 | 21,522 | +6% |
| Dessert /Port/Sherry/(Cooking) Wine | 14,955 | 14,702 | 13,920 | -5% |
| Sparkling Wine/Champagne | 7,062 | 6,055 | 6,590 | +9% |
| Rose Wine | 3,794 | 3,374 | 3,271 | -3% |
| Table Flavored Wine | 1,430 | 1,436 | 1,256 | -13% |
| Honey Based Table Wine | 955 | 886 | 735 | -17% |
| Sake - Imported | 600 | 382 | 671 | +76% |
| Dessert Flavored Wine | 338 | 434 | 464 | +7% |
| Table Fruit Wine | 632 | 456 | 463 | +2% |
| Carbonated Wine | 534 | 523 | 349 | -33% |
| Apple Table Wine/Cider | 364 | 272 | 286 | +5% |
Questions
How many wine labels does the TTB approve each year?
About 100,000. From January to September 2026 the TTB approved 76,514 wine labels, against 74,730 in the same months of 2025.
Are imported wine labels rising in 2026?
Yes. Imported wine label approvals rose 18% in January–September 2026, after a 23% fall in 2025.
What is a COLA?
A Certificate of Label Approval from the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). A wine needs one before it is sold across state lines or imported.
Sources and method
Source: the TTB public COLA registry, collected by Wine Labs. We count approved applications for wine classes (table, sparkling, dessert, fruit, honey and flavored wine, cider and imported sake). Surrendered and expired labels are excluded.
One wine can need several labels (for example, a new vintage or a new bottle size), so approvals measure label activity, not new wines. Origin and grape come from the application. Imported status comes from the registry record.
Year comparisons use January–September of each year, because Q4 2026 is not complete.