Singani - Legal Environment

Legal Environment

Unlike neighboring pisco which spread itself across two contending countries, singani has always been made only in the territory that is today Bolivia, and no domain controversy exists as it has for pisco. An exclusive regional product for over 400 years, Bolivia only in recent decades has moved to protect its interests. Part of the motivation was to establish standards so that moonshine could not be called singani. Another impetus was to solidify control of the singani name, the unsatisfactory experience of pisco and of tequila which can be exported in bulk and bottled under foreign labels being cases in point.

Bolivian Supreme Decree 21948 (1988) declares singani an exclusive and native product of Bolivia, where the word singani cannot be otherwise used, or modified for use, outside of its stated purpose. National Law 1334 of 1992 establishes the domain of origin (DO) classification for singani and the geographical indication (GI), listing specific zones of production. Supreme Decree 24777 (1997) establishes general controls over the DO and prohibited practices. Supreme Decree 25569 (1999) establishes the “Certificate of Origin” that accompanies singani, determines the 1,600 meter (5,250 feet) elevation above sea level minimum for altitude wine, and refers to the promotion of altitude singani and wines. Supreme Decree 27113 (2003) describes international enforcement of intellectual property, including the DO and the GI for singani. National Norms NB324001 further defines and controls the process of making singani, it also describes prohibited practices, it spells out the altitude requirement of 1,600 meters for wine, wine products, and cultivars, and sets standards for purity and labeling.

Due to international treaties between the USA and other countries, national liquors such as pisco (treaty with Chile), cachaça (treaty with Brazil), and tequila (treaty with Mexico) are listed by the US TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) under their own class-type names, and can be used in US commerce so named. No such agreement on type exists with Bolivia and thus singani must be traded in the USA under the nearest existing TTB class which is brandy. Similar to other nations however, Bolivia considers singani not only the national liquor, but a unique product and a cultural patrimony.

The singani area subject to actual production covers about 20,000 acres of mountainous terrain, compared to about 220,000 acres or so for cognac and 83,000 acres or so for champagne. Most singani production since about 1980 is concentrated in the Tarija GI’s of Arce, Avilés, and Méndez.

Agencies involved in the control and oversight of singani are IBNORCA a publisher of regulations, SENASAG an enforcer of regulations, and CENAVIT a national laboratory and investigation arm. FAUTAPO is an internationally funded source of study, education, promotion, and development of the grape, wine, and singani industry in Bolivia.