Abbreviation for "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives". The American federal police agency was founded in 1972 and was subordinate to the US Department of Justice. Its main tasks were to combat violent crime and protect the public in connection with alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives. Specifically, the authority was responsible, for example, for taxation, for the approval of labels, for the movement of alcohol between the federal states and protection against adulteration (pantschereien). In connection with alcohol, compliance with the legal regulations was controlled. On behalf of the US federal government, the office developed the American Appellation System AVA (American Viticultural Area) from the 1970s onwards, modelled on the French Appellation d'Origine Protégée, which was then put into effect for the entire USA in 1983.
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For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien