Coppola sues wine firm over copycat claim

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A company acting for Francis Ford Coppola has filed a lawsuit against US wine firm Copa Di Vino, accusing it of breaking trademark rules.

GMYL, the company that controls the trademarks to Coppola wine brands, filed the lawsuit against Copa Di Vino and its owner, James Martin, in California.

It has asked for jury trial and requested unspecified damages for several counts of trademark infringement.

A spokesperson for Copa Di Vino could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Coppola and Copa Di Vino wines side by side, as shown in the lawsuit filed by GMYL. Credit: GMYL.

GMYL accused Copa Di Vino of copying Coppola’s ‘Director’s Cut’ brand with its own ‘Winemaker’s Cut’ wines.

GMYL also claimed that the Oregon firm had copied the so-called ‘black label trade dress’ of Coppola’s Diamond Collection Black Label claret wine.

‘Defendants are using labels and packaging that are virtually identical to the labels and packaging used for GMYL’s Diamond Collection Black Label Claret wine,’ the lawsuit says.

It adds that the similarities could confuse wine consumers.

Copa Di Vino is based in Oregon and specialises in selling wines by the glass.

The two companies almost went into business together in 2011, but talks broke down, the lawsuit says.

Francis Ford Coppola, who produced hit films including the Godfather and Apocalypse Now, owns the Inglenook estate in California.

See the lawsuit document here.