Tuesday, August 18, 2009

News from Australia

When Fred Franzia announced the launch of his new Down Under wines, there were grumblings that it could ruffle some feathers. And now, perhaps inevitably, it has resulted in legal action.

Decanter.com reported this weekend that Casella Wines, makers of the wildly popular Yellow Tail, were “suing California’s [and Franzia’s] Bronco Wine Company for trademark infringement.” Decanter continues:

“Casella is alleging that Bronco's use of square brackets around the name of the recently released super-cheap Down Under label infringes the '[yellow tail]' name which is trademarked.”

We’ll follow the story for you and let you know what happens.

In a separate story, 12 of Australia’s most prestigious producers are banding together to fight the perception that the country is home primarily to inexpensive, easy-drinking bottlings.

Decanter.com reported that “the group's chairman…said the group was formed because of increasingly negative comments about Australia only producing 'sunshine in a bottle' wines and not fine wines.”

High-end producers like de Bortoli, d’Arenberg, Henschke, and others are taking part.

Tense times, indeed, in Australia right now. It's enough to make you want to pop open a bottle of wine, no matter what the cost.

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