A British father and son are being sued by the Italian state body that protects the Prosecco name, over allegations of misusing the designation and selling counterfeit sparkling wine. The Consortium for the Protection of Controlled Designation of Origin Prosecco, known as Consorzio, claims that wine entrepreneurs Michael Goldstein and his father, Ralph, mislabelled a non-authentic product as Prosecco and exploited the protected name.
The pair, who are said to be the driving force behind drinks importer Prosecco International Ltd and its flagship sparkling wine Bella Principessa, are vigorously contesting the allegations. They deny any infringement and insist that their white and rosé Bella Principessa sparkling wines conform to the strict Prosecco specification.
Despite acknowledging that the evidence supporting the defendants' claim that their wines meet the Prosecco specification 'seems persuasive,' Judge Richard Hacon has ordered a full High Court trial. The Consorzio is suing the Goldsteins and their company over a 'long list of acts which are said to constitute an infringement of Consorzio's rights under the regulation,' according to the judge.
Prosecco was first officially recognised by the Italian government as a distinct wine restricted to specific areas of north-eastern Italy in 2009. Since then, the Consorzio has made stringent efforts to ensure retailers do not abuse or infringe its name. Judge Hacon noted: 'As is widely known, Prosecco is the name given to certain wines produced in the northeast of Italy. The Prosecco protected designation of origin is protected in this country under EU Regulations, now assimilated into UK law.'
Prosecco International, established in 2018, is a London-based company involved in alcohol production and distribution, including distilling, rectifying, blending spirits, and manufacturing wine. Michael was a director between 2018 and 2024, while Ralph is currently a director. The action focuses on allegations of infringement of European regulations and the PROSECCO certification mark, a type of UK trade mark, on two websites operating under domain names Prosecco.com and Proseccodoc.com, which 'target the UK' by using the Prosecco name, the Consorzio claims.
The particulars of the claim cite the use of PROSECCO in association with and on bottles of sparkling wine called Bella Principessa. The judge added: 'Consorzio does not accept that the Bella Principessa and Prosecco Rosé wines conform to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) specification.' The Goldsteins and the company, however, insist that both wines pass the test to be designated Prosecco, pointing to evidence that the judge said 'on its face...seems persuasive.'
In online advertising copy for the Bella Principessa brand, Michael Goldstein states: 'We couldn't find a Prosecco that tasted exceptional, looked beautiful and felt meaningful enough to share with the people who matter most, so we made one - Bella Principessa. The Prosecco guests are proud to ask for by name. It comes in two expressions: Rosé and Brut. Always in good taste.' The wine is described as being 'crafted in the sunlit hills of northeastern Italy's Veneto region in partnership with a fourth-generation winery.'
Ruling on a bid by the Goldsteins and the company to strike out the claim, the judge said: 'Michael and Ralph Goldstein are alleged either to have had, or to have, significant control over the acts of Prosecco International of which complaint is made.' In denying infringement, the defendants maintained, among other defences, that the Consorzio was suing the wrong target, as the real owner of the offending website domain names is a US drinks company. They admit that non-Prosecco drinks, including vodka and wine in a can, appeared on an older version of the two websites, though they say none were sold. They contend this did not amount to infringement and that the appearance of non-Prosecco drinks has now ceased.
The defendants argue that the websites now only feature the Bella Principessa wine and a Prosecco Rosé wine, both conforming to the PDO Prosecco specification. The Bella Principessa wine belongs to a subcategory of Prosecco DOC wines, all of which are, by definition, Prosecco DOC wines. However, the Consorzio does not accept this. Dismissing the application, the judge said the evidence supporting the defence had been filed late and must be considered at a full trial. He added: 'I do not accept that I can assume on the evidence now available before the court that the damage caused to the Consorzio as a consequence of the admitted use of the sign PROSECCO in the past has been negligible.' The trial will determine whether the content of the websites constitutes infringement.
