EU Regulation 2021/2117 creates a significant change for the European Union’s wine and aromatic wine market. As of December 8, 2023, wines bound for the EU market must prominently feature a comprehensive list of all added ingredients on their labels. Many wineries planned in advance and printed labels to comply…
Category: International Wine Law
Russia Permits the Word Champagne on Russian Sparkling Wines
Various media sources have reported that Russia is requiring Champagne wines from the actual appellation of Champagne to tout “Sparkling Wine” on their labels as a result of a new law that went into effect on July 2nd. See, e.g., Only Wines Made in Russia Can be Called Champagne Under…
Introducing Jus Vini, The Journal of Wine & Spirits Law
It is with great excitement that I share the launch of Jus Vini, The Journal of Wine & Spirits Law. Jus Vini is the new international journal on wine and spirits law edited by the University of Reims’ Wine & Law Program — A Jean Monnet Chair. The journal is a bilingual, peer-reviewed…
TTB Cancels Declaration Requirement for Pinot Noir Wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France
Last week, TTB issued an industry circular (Industry Circular Number 2017-3) that cancels a declaration requirement with respect to Pinot Noir wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France. The 2017 industry circular supersedes Industry Circular 2010–5, Pinot Noir from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France, which required importers of wines naming Pinot…
How Are Organic Wine Labels Regulated in the U.S.?
Here is a good, and relevant, question. What happens if a wine label boasts the term, “ORGANIC,” or “CERTIFIED ORGANIC” but is neither organic nor certified as such? As organic products—including wines—become more popular among consumers, there is a greater risk of fraudulent use of the term “ORGANIC.” See, e.g., Is…
Penfolds: The Unfolding of China’s New Trademark Law
A new case that may show the effects of China’s recently updated trademark law made headlines this last week. Treasury Wine Estates reported that the company did not register the Chinese name for Penfolds and is currently engaging in a legal battle with Li Daozhi, an allegedly notorious trademark squatter….
The New Chinese Trademark Law In Effect: The Wine Version
There’s been a lot of news over the last few months with respect to China and wine trademarks, especially with respect to French winemakers. See, e.g., Is China Making a Step Forward in Wine Trademark Law? and French Wine Company Castel Frères to Pursue Trademark Battle Against Panati in China’s Supreme Court. On May…
Chateau Mouton Rothschild Tells Burgundy Wine Producer to Change its Name
Bordeaux estate Château Mouton Rothschild recently sent a Burgundy wine producer, Vintner Laurent Mouton, a cease and desist letter, asking the producer to stop use of the name “Domaine Mouton” on its wine labels. The Château claimed that use of such a name on wine labels was “unauthorised reproduction [and] amounts to…
Santa Barbara, Bordeaux, and Bourgogne/Chablis Sign the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin
Three renowned wine regions recently signed the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin. By signing the Declaration, the new signatories—the American wine region of Santa Barbara County and the French wine regions of Bordeaux and Bourgogne/Chablis—become part of a global movement to protect wine place names and ensure…
Is China Making a Step Forward in Wine Trademark Law?
One of my recent pieces was published by Cornell International Law Journal Online, which is an incredible online collection of short publications written by attorneys and law students discussing contemporary legal issues in various fields. I wrote about China with respect to trademark and the wine industry. Specifically, I discussed…