Legal News

Vinocor spoils Coppola's 'Encyclopedia,' says lawsuit

By Richard Binder

Film director and winemaker Francis Ford Coppola hired Vinocor USA Inc. in 2007 to make custom bottles at $8.76 a case and oversized screw caps at $43.25 per 1,000 for his wine company, Francis Ford Coppola Presents LLC. According to a lawsuit filed Nov. 23 in California court, many of Vinocor?s bottles had bent necks, chipped glass and uneven bases, and the screw caps were badly made or bent after shipping. Vinocor sent replacements, but when Coppola bottled the wine he discovered the containers were leaking and letting in air that caused oxidation.

The suit seeks unspecified damages. Luis Pinto, a Vinocor executive, said the company?s lawyers will begin talks next week with Coppola?s lawyers, aiming to resolve the conflict.

The wine in question, "Encyclopedia," are drawn from different regions and designed to teach consumers how geography, history, food and religion contribute to making and enjoying wine, according to the lawsuit.

Full story at Bloomberg.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on December 10, 2009 (boomark / email).