What is a COLA
A Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) is required by the TTB before any wine can be sold in the United States. Every distinct label — defined by brand, class/type, appellation, vintage, alcohol content, and net contents — needs its own COLA. Without an approved COLA, you cannot ship wine to distributors or retailers.
Why track COLAs in Cepaos
Managing COLAs manually becomes complex as your portfolio grows. Each SKU may require a separate COLA, and approvals can take weeks. Cepaos provides a centralized tracker so you know the status of every label at a glance.
COLA workflow in Cepaos
1. Create a COLA request
From the sidebar, go to Compliance > COLA Tracker and click + New COLA Request.
2. Fill in label details
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Brand name | Your brand as it appears on the label |
| Class/type | Table wine, dessert wine, sparkling, etc. |
| Appellation | AVA, county, state, or "American" |
| Vintage | Year (if declaring vintage) |
| Alcohol content | % ABV as declared on label |
| Net contents | Bottle size (750ml, 375ml, 1.5L, etc.) |
| Grape variety | If declaring varietal (minimum 75% required) |
3. Upload label artwork
Upload the front and back label images. Cepaos stores them alongside the COLA record for reference during audits.
4. Submit to TTB
Submit the COLA application through the TTB COLAs Online system (ttb.gov). Enter the application number in Cepaos to link the request.
5. Track status
Update the status as the application progresses:
- Draft: label being designed, not yet submitted.
- Submitted: application filed with TTB, awaiting review.
- Revision requested: TTB has requested changes to the label.
- Approved: COLA received, wine can ship.
- Expired/Revoked: no longer valid.
6. Link to SKUs
Once approved, link the COLA to the corresponding product SKU in Commercial > Products. This ensures that every case shipped references an active COLA.
Alerts and notifications
Cepaos generates automatic alerts for:
- Pending applications that have been with TTB for more than 30 days without a response.
- Revision deadlines: if TTB requests changes, you typically have 90 days to respond.
- Approaching expiration: although COLAs do not technically expire, regulation changes may require relabeling.
- Missing COLAs: if a product SKU has no linked COLA, the system flags it before you can register a dispatch.
Label compliance checks
When creating a COLA request, Cepaos runs basic compliance checks on the data you enter:
- Varietal percentage: if declaring a variety, verifies that your cellar book shows at least 75% of that variety in the blend.
- Appellation sourcing: if declaring an AVA, verifies that at least 85% of the grapes are sourced from that AVA (95% for Oregon).
- Vintage percentage: if declaring a vintage, verifies that at least 95% of the wine is from the declared year.
- Alcohol tolerance: verifies that the declared ABV falls within TTB's allowed tolerance range.
These are advisory checks — the official determination is made by TTB during the COLA review.
Frequently asked questions
How long does COLA approval take?
Processing times vary. Simple applications may be approved in 2-4 weeks. Complex labels or new brands may take longer. Cepaos tracks the elapsed time for each application.
Do I need a separate COLA for each vintage?
Yes. A new vintage year on an otherwise identical label requires a new COLA.
Can I use Cepaos COLA data for state registrations?
Yes. Many states require brand/label registration. You can export COLA details from Cepaos to use in state registration applications.
What about imported wines?
Imported wines also require COLAs. Create the request the same way and note the country of origin and importer details.