Tag: wine
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Proposed Legislation Would Modernize Alcoholic Beverage Laws in New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) has proposed legislation that would revise the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law (Blue Laws) to modernize the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in New York state. The new rules would also consolidate licensing and reduce “burdensome fees for wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries statewide.” In particular, the legislation would (i) lift…
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Fashion Co. Sues Former NFL Player for Use of “Ferragamo”
Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. has filed a lawsuit against Ferragamo Winery and Vince Ferragamo, a former Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers quarterback, for trademark infringement and dilution of the “Ferragamo” mark. Salvatore Ferragamo S.P.A. v. Ferragamo Winery, No. 16-3313 (S.D.N.Y., filed May 4, 2016). The fashion company asserts that it owns two trademarks to…
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Spanish Supreme Court Rejects Champagne Industry’s Challenge to “Champín” Soft Drink
The Supreme Court of Spain has reportedly dismissed a challenge brought by the Comité Interprofessionel Du Vin de Champagne alleging that Champín, a Spanish fruit-flavored soft drink, infringes the organization’s protected-designation-of-origin rights. The organization asserted that Champín could be confused with Champagne, which may only describe sparkling wines made in that region. The court disagreed,…
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New Data Eases Concerns over Arsenic Content of California Wine
Refuting earlier claims that California wines allegedly contain “dangerously high” levels of arsenic, a new study has concluded that inorganic arsenic in blush, white and red California wines “does not represent a health risk for consumers.” Dennis Paustenbach, et al., “Analysis of Total Arsenic Content in California Wines and Comparison to Various Health Risk Criteria,”…
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UK Chief Medical Officers Publish Strict New Guidelines for Alcohol Consumption
The U.K. Chief Medical Officers have advised consumers to drink less than 6 pints of beer per week under new guidelines for alcoholic beverage intake. Revising previous standards that set weekly limits at 21 units of alcohol for men and 14 units for women, the updated recommendations urge all consumers to imbibe fewer than 14…
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Second Circuit Upholds Wine Fraud Conviction
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit had upheld the conviction of a man who sold $20 million worth of counterfeit wine by mixing lower-priced wines and pouring them into the bottles of more expensive wines. USA v. Kurniawan, No. 14-2928 (2nd Cir., order entered December 22, 2015). The man challenged the search…
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Study Targets Arsenic Levels in U.S. Wine
A University of Washington study has allegedly found that many red wines produced in California, Washington, New York and Oregon contain arsenic levels exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) limit for drinking water of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Denise Wilson, “Arsenic Content in American Wine,” Journal of Environmental Health, October 2015. Authored by…
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Amazon Enters Farmers Market, Alcohol Sectors
With the launch of services targeting the grocery and alcoholic beverage segments, Amazon.com, Inc., has garnered media attention for its latest forays into a new and competitive marketplace. In a September 1, 2015, article, The Los Angeles Times compares Amazon’s Farmers Market Direct program to other food delivery startups aiming to bring fresh local products…