PHILADELPHIA – A California winery is suing two Pennsylvania companies for the alleged unauthorized use of its federally trademarked name on their own products.
Wilson Vineyards Inc. filed a lawsuit March 15 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Wilson Vineyard LLC and Wilson Winery LLC, doing business as Wilson Vineyard, and Zachary Wilson, alleging trademark infringement, cybersquatting and unfair competition.
According to the complaint, Wilson Vineyards produces premium grapes used in wines distributed across the county. The suit says two wineries Zachary Wilson launched in 2010 have used the Wilson Vineyards trademarked name without authorization, relying on a reputation of quality the plaintiff has built over the past 35 years. In addition, Wilson Vineyards says the defendants have registered Internet domain wilsonvineyard.com for their own use and have impersonated them on social media.
Wilson Vineyards seeks injunctions banning the infringement and unfair competition, as well as monetary damages to be established at trial. It is represented by attorneys Paul J. Kennedy, Noah S. Robbins of Pepper Hamilton LP in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Case number 2:16-cv-01198-PD