Another PINK?!?!?!

[Roy Hersh]

Announcing: Poças Pink

Following sales in Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Italy, Poças Pink has now arrived on the west coast of the United States.

This smooth, fruity Port wine comes in a bottle with a modern design, enabling the pink liquid to show through, as it conveys its refreshing, sophisticated quality.

Has anyone tried this one yet?

[Andy Velebil]

Nope, but how'd they get away with calling it "pink"? I thought TFP (The Fladgate Partnership) had a trademark on the combo Pink Port as a name for these types of light ruby Ports?

[Richard Henderson]

I thought Larry Flynt had the Trademark for "pink"!

[Eric Menchen]

Sorry to distract this fun discussion with some non-Port information, but I recall Owens Corning actually going to court over the use of "pink" as a trademark, but I think they only won for housing products.

[Roy Hersh]

Back on track boyz.

It is possible that TFP has a TM on "Pink Port" But Pocas is only calling theirs: Pocas Pink ... which may be quite different from a legal aspect. Then again (and I don't want to go there) the laws in Portugal are VERY different and I'd bet that might apply to TM issues to.

I am hoping to get samples of the Pocas sent here to try.

[oscarquevedo]

Nope, but how'd they get away with calling it "pink"? I thought TFP (The Fladgate Partnership) had a trademark on the combo Pink Port as a name for these types of light ruby Ports?

TFP had at the beginning. But after some appeals from different producers they can no longer claim the use of the word "pink" only for themselves.

[Andy Velebil]

Nope, but how'd they get away with calling it "pink"? I thought TFP (The Fladgate Partnership) had a trademark on the combo Pink Port as a name for these types of light ruby Ports?

TFP had at the beginning. But after some appeals from different producers they can no longer claim the use of the word "pink" only for themselves.

Ah, thanks Oscar for clarifying that.

[goncalo devesas]

Yesterday, I was with Jose Guedes, Quinta das Lamelas owner and he told me that, he will launch the Rose´(Pink) in the next 2 weeks, but no one as the right to use the word "Pink" in the label, because Croft (Taylor´s) will lookout ...
So like Oscar made, they must launch the Pink with the word "Rose´"... of course that it will not be the same for overseas market.

[Roy Hersh]

Goncalo,

Pocas did lanch their Port named Pocas Pink, not Rose.

[oscarquevedo]

You can check here who has already registered Pink http://servicosonline.inpi.pt/pesquisas ... sp?lang=EN Write "pink" in the trademark field and fill in 33 in the classification. Plenty of brands approved, so now it's not a legal issue anymore, it's a marketing decision.

[Andy Velebil]

Thanks Oscar,
Quite a few of them there including your own I see. You planning on changing the name?

[oscarquevedo]

Andy, it does not make sense for us to change now to Pink. We are comfortable with Rose and some clients actually prefer it instead of Pink.

[goncalo devesas]

After seeing Roy and Oscar´s posts, I must say that the Portwine producers should be well informed before speaking about this type of informations...

Like for example the 2004 VP issue from Roseira, that I had already discussed with Oscar and it seems really weird, when not speaking about precise dates...

I´ll check this type of informations with (Oscar)

[Eric Menchen]

I prefer "rose" over "pink." "Pink" makes me think of hip-hop and young girls with Barbie dolls. "Rose" just makes me think of weak wine.

[Luc Gauthier]

" A rose by any other name would smell as sweet "

Who knew , that Shakespeare was on to something

[Richard Henderson]

I still have not tried the stuff. If it is in our market, I have not seen it. There must be customers or presumably you producers would not be making it.

[oscarquevedo]

Richard, Rose Port chilled is something that can work on a Texas hot evening...

I prefer "rose" over "pink." "Pink" makes me think of hip-hop and young girls with Barbie dolls. "Rose" just makes me think of weak wine.

I agree Eric!

[Richard Henderson]

I will try it but it seems a little strange. I know that in previous threads on this board , it has not been received well. I think white zinfindel distorted our perceptions of pink wine. The great dry roses of Spain have nothing in common with white zin other than the color..

[Peter W. Meek]

Interesting. It seems there is always some "pink" wine on the market that gives the rest a bad name. This goes back to the Lancer and Mateus (and some of the sweet pink sparkling wines) in the 1960s in my experience, and probably before that. They weren't bad, just not anything special.

The white Zins weren't all bad, just not (most of the time) anything to write home about. Nowadays, some of the early pink ports were "alcoholic soda pop", and this obscures the ones that really have something to say.

It is obviously true that there are plenty of reds and whites (and with port, tawnys) which are "not bad" (or even are really bad). I wonder why it's only pinks (of all types of wine) that have this mediocre group giving the whole class a bad name?

[Andy Velebil]

I will try it but it seems a little strange. I know that in previous threads on this board , it has not been received well. I think white zinfindel distorted our perceptions of pink wine. The great dry roses of Spain have nothing in common with white zin other than the color..

Richard,
Remember that some of those earlier threads were from people who had never even tried it when they said negative things about it. Some did eventually try it and said they didn't like it. Yet I know first hand that a couple of them had a Rose that they said was decent and pleasantly enjoyable. They may not admit that here, so be it.

I've had a number of Rose/Pink Ports and so far all have been well made. Some I prefer more than others, but for the type of Port they are they fill a nitch in the marketplace and are selling very well. I have a Croft Pink in the fridge right now as proof that I put my money where my mouth is about Rose/Pink Ports. And no it's not my everyday Port, but for me it makes a great light and easy aperitif (mixed or by itself) when I have company over. So far everyone has enjoyed them.

Nowadays, some of the early pink ports were "alcoholic soda pop", and this obscures the ones that really have something to say.

Curious as to which Pink Ports you've had that were "alcoholic soda pop"?