Castel takes trademark battle to China's Supreme Court

Castel Vats

(Image credit: Castel Vats)

French wine merchant Castel is pursuing its trademark dispute in China at the country's Supreme Court and has said it will 'take any measures' to win.

Wine straight from the vat at Groupe-Castel

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

In July this year, the Zhejiang Provincial Superior People’s Court ordered Castel to pay CNY34m (US$5.6m) in damages to Panati Wine for infringement of the “Ka Si Te” trademark.

Castel alleged that the decision ‘contains blatant errors and lacks objectivity’. It said that it has no choice but to pursue the case at the Supreme Court in Beijing.

‘Castel Freres is prepared to take any measures required to protect its legitimate interests in China,’ the group said.

In response to local reports last week that Castel’s assets have been frozen in China, in relation to the dispute, a group spokesperson said that it is business as usual. Castel ‘will be maintaining business activities in China and continuing to supply quality French wine to Chinese consumers’.

The group’s successful Supreme Court application means all previous rulings are ‘suspended’, the spokesperson added.

In March 2013, Castel announced it had registered the name Kasidaile as a trademark in China.

astel Group announced its new registered Chinese trademark Kasidaile

Written by Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.