Napa Valley pushes for greater brand protection

Published: 02 May, 2012

California's Napa Valley Vintners has upped the ante in its quest to protect its brand name.

It has joined the Organisation for International Geographical Indications Network (oriGIn) - which lobbies internationally for more effective legal protection for Geographic Indications. OriGIn has 350 producer associations across 40 countries.

For more than a decade, NVV has campaigned for global protection for the valley, and its brand integrity. "Consumers around the world need to be assured that when it says 'Napa Valley' on the wine label, the wine truly comes from this extraordinary place," says Linda Reiff, executive director of the NVV.

Back in 2005, the NVV was a founder of the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place and Origin partnership, along with Champagne, Porto, Jerez, Oregon, Walla Walla, and Washington State. There are now 15 members of the partnership.

In 2007, NVV successfully secured GI status for Napa Valley in the European Union, and has subsequently successfully campaigned for it in India and Thailand.

"We are proud to welcome the NVV into our global network, oriGIn, where GIs from all over the world exchange their experience and coordinate their strategies. We will greatly benefit from the participation of the NVV," says Ramón Gonzalez Figueroa, president of oriGIn and director general of the Consejo Regulador del Tequila.

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