Kaweaver

Right, but if a product like that was produced with the plan to distribute, what would it need to be called. It couldn't be called a vermouth, right?

On 9/6/2017 at 11:25 AM, bluestar said:

This still gives you much leeway. For example, if you have a 10% ABV (20 proof) wine, you can mix that about 5:1 with a spirit above 100 proof, and the result will be less than 50% wine on a proof gallon basis, and hence can be bottled at less than 48 proof (it will in fact be a bit above 16% alcohol, or 32 proof, less than many fortified wines). So it should be possible to bottle something that is at typical fortified wine proof (less than 40 proof), but contains less than 50% wine on a proof gallon basis, and so would be a distilled spirit. If you want more of the flavor profile of a fortified wine, key might be using lower proof wine with higher proof spirit.

I have been looking through the TTB chapters and I am curious about something. If one was to do as @bluestar mentions, what would the liquor be classified as according to the TTB definitions?

Based on the class and type designation, would it be a Flavored Brandy with XX% wine added? This is based on the following quote from https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter4.pdf.

Flavored Brandy:

"Wine may be added up to 15% by volume of the finished product provided at least 12½% of the wine is derived from the base commodity that corresponds to the labeled flavor of the product. If not, or if the wine addition exceeds 15% by volume of the finished product the classes and/or types and percentages (by volume) of the wine must be stated as part of the class and type designation"

I have been wondering this myself. Which section are you seeing that?