Constellation Brands shrugs off wine injunction

A global drinks company has hit back at a competitor which secured an injunction when a court ruled that the label on one of its wine ranges was too similar to the competitor’s product.

Yesterday, WIPR reported that Los Angeles based-San Antonio Winery, which produces the Stella Rosa brand of wine, had secured an injunction against Constellation Brands’ Rosatello range.

San Antonio said the judgment, issued by the US District Court for the Central District of California on March 11, meant Constellation Brands would have to change its packaging or stop selling the line of wines.

But Constellation, which produces beers including Corona and Tsingtao, told WIPR it was “very disappointed” by San Antonio’s claims.

“The court ruling which San Antonio Winery refers to relates to an earlier, discontinued Rosatello label,” it said, adding that the court had ordered an injunction on a soon-to-be discontinued label.

Both labels include the word ‘Rosa’ in similar red font and have a picture of a crown above the title.

“Rosatello is being relaunched this spring throughout the US and is wholly unaffected by the court finding,” Constellation added.

San Antonio Winery is a family-owned business established in 1917.