Yalumba loses ‘signature’ trademark battle

Australia’s Yalumba winery has lost a trademark battle it lodged against Pernod Ricard over its use of the word ‘Signature’ for a range of Jacob’s Creek wines.

Yalumba’s ‘The Signature’

The winery, owned by Robert Hill-Smith, took the brand to court in an attempt to stop Pernod Ricard from using the word ” signature” to describe a range of Jacob’s Creek wines from the Barossa Valley.

Yalumba, also in Barossa Valley, has produced  a super premium wine called  “The Signature” – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz – since 1966. It was trademarked in 2000.

Jacob’s Creek released a Barossa ‘Signature’ range in 2015, which Yalumba argued could cause confusion among consumers and infringed on its trademark.

However, as reported by Australia’s Business Insider, this week a judge dismissed the claim ruling that Yalumba’s ‘The Signature” wine was not well known enough to cause confusion and was not “deceptively similar”.

Hill-Smith said he was “naturally disappointed” and that the winery would be “reading the judgement and considering our position… over a glass or two”.

“We have worked long and hard to build the reputation of our fine wine,” he said. “Whilst the law is one aspect of this saga we value many other aspects of our Australian wine growing culture and its fraternity.

“We shall be careful to embrace those values forever and as a family who has been here at Yalumba since 1849, we are like the magnificent elephant and have long memories.”

Pernod Ricard’s Jacob’s Creek Barossa Signature