Alcoholic beverages: special nonprofit sales license: wine labels.

Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the application, issuance, and suspension of alcoholic beverage licenses. Existing law authorizes the department to issue particular types of licenses to nonprofit entities, including a special nonprofit sales license to a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation, as described in specified provisions of the Revenue and Taxation Code. For this type of license, existing law requires the governing board of the entity to be composed of certain parties at a public university in Yolo County that offers courses in viticulture and enology in its curriculum. This bill would delete the reference to the Revenue and Taxation Code, described above, and instead reference the Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law. The bill would also authorize issuance of a special nonprofit sales license to a nonprofit public benefit corporation, as described in the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act prescribes labeling requirements for containers of alcoholic beverages sold within this state, including those imposed on wines labeled with an American Viticultural Area, as established pursuant to federal law, that is located entirely within specified counties. The act generally provides that a violation of its provisions is a misdemeanor if not otherwise specified. This bill would require any wine bottled on or after January 1, 2023, labeled with an American Viticultural Area that is located entirely within the County of Mendocino to bear the designation "Mendocino County" on the label in specified type sizes that are determined in relation to the size of the container, except as specified. The bill would authorize the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to suspend or revoke the license of a person who violates these provisions, but would otherwise exempt a violation of these provisions from civil or criminal penalties. The bill would also prescribe exceptions to these provisions.