The Wine Group must face a trial over claims that its Franzia “Rich & Buttery” wines infringe another winemaker’s “Butter” trademark despite a California federal court’s concerns about efforts to “monopolize” the use of the word to describe wine.
Although the court expressed concerns that JaM Cellars Inc. was attempting to restrict other winemakers’ use of “buttery” for Chardonnay based on this and other lawsuits, fact issues prevented a judgment in TWG’s favor before trial, the Northern District of California said Friday.
JaM produces Butter Chardonnay, and owns a federal trademark for “Butter” covering wine. TWG produced a line of ...