The Renegade Urban Winery, based in London, has been served with a cease-and-desist notice by a law firm representing Champagne Louis Roederer, demanding the cessation of production and sale of their wine, "Crystal Pet Nat Pink." The law firm argues that this wine may infringe upon the trademark of Roederer's "Cristal" Champagne brand.
The wine, named after customer Crystal Lai and sold since 2018 for £28 (approximately $34), features her image on both a pendant and the bottle label. Most wines from Renegade Urban Winery are named after people and feature their eyes on the label. In addition to Crystal, there are wines named "Kyra," "Marc," and "Amy," as well as the "Bethnal Bubbles 3.1. Dry Hopped Sparkling Wine" with a dog's face.
Despite the differences in spelling, the manufacturer in Walthamstow has been requested in writing to cease production immediately. Founder Warwick Smith expressed his confusion over the demand on LinkedIn. He emphasized the clear distinctions in pronunciation, price range, and origin between his wine and Roederer's.
Smith further stated, "We take immense pride in our London-produced wines and the individuals depicted on the labels. It was never our intention to pose as another producer or compare ourselves to another product. Renegade's primary goal is to create unique wines with individual character." PD
