Another Pisco related issue between Peru and Chile

By Francisco Espinosa Bellido

The Agricultural Cooperative Pisquera Elqui Limitada (Capel), one of Chile´s largest pisco producers and distributors, applied to the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile for the registration of trademarks "La Cofradía del Pisco" (The Brotherhood of Pisco) and "Círculo del Pisco" (Circle of Pisco).

But the Peruvian government, through its embassy in Chile, opposed the applications arguing that both trademarks use the Pisco Designation of Origin owned by the Peruvian State, which distinguishes "products elaborated from fermented wine of certain grapes from the departments of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and the valleys of Locumba, Samba and Caplina".

The term "Brotherhood of Pisco", for example, was used by the government of Peru to internationally promote pisco as an alcoholic beverage belonging to a variety of grape aguardiente produced in the country since the late 16th century.

"Peru can´t prohibit a Chilean world known producer as Capel to use their pisco trademarks, protected by Chilean law," said Marino Porzio., lawyer of the company, to La Tercera.

Peru and Chile are usually involved in pisco controversies about trademarks and origin of the popular alcoholic drink.