Under US-EU trade agreements and TTB regulations, semi-generic geographic terms such as 'Champagne' and 'Cognac' are protected and may only be used on labels for products that actually originate from those designated regions in France. Products from other origins using these terms will be denied COLA approval and refused entry into US commerce.

Brandy is classified as a distilled spirit rather than a wine under TTB regulations, meaning it requires distilled spirits plant (DSP) importer registration in addition to COLA approval. The federal excise tax rate for brandy is assessed per proof gallon rather than per wine gallon, and the HTS classification falls under a different chapter than still or sparkling wines, affecting both duty rates and statistical reporting.