U.S. Olympic Committee picks on Washington winery

I grew up looking at the Olympic Mountains. In school, we played Olympic High. My first newspaper job was on the Olympic Peninsula.

Sue me.

Thus continues the silliness of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is getting nasty with Kathy Charlton, owner of Olympic Cellars in Port Angeles, a city on the Olympic Peninsula.

I saw this one coming several years ago when Charlton bought the winery and renamed it from Neuharth Winery, its original name when it was launched in 1979.

Charlton has done a terrific job in the past half-decade of marketing her 13,000-case winery. Now, it turns out she won't be able to market her winery beyond the boundaries of Western Washington. That means no Internet and little print advertising (technically speaking, she wouldn't be able to advertise in Wine Press Northwest or the two Seattle newspapers, all of which circulate in Eastern Washington).

Ironically, all of the grapes that go into Olympic Cellars' wines come from Eastern Washington, where the USOC won't allow Olympic Cellars to sell or promote its wines. This might even preclude Charlton from entering her wines in competitions outside of Western Washington.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics northeast of Port Angeles in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., there's no doubt the Olympic Committee's focus has narrowed on any Olympic Peninsula businesses with the "O" word.

Charlton got a letter in October from the USOC stating she could not sell any wine online to new customers outside of Western Washington after Dec. 31. She was told by the USOC that she would have to turn down business from any new online customers.

If you want to send a little "screw you" message to the bullies at the USOC, call Olympic Cellars at 360-452-0160 and order some of its delicious wines, which have won golds, silvers and bronzes at regional, national and international competitions.

Chanel Replica handbags,

Olympic Winery vs. U.S. Olympic Committee

Sorry, Andy,
This does not add up. Is there a copyright on the "Olympic" name? I think not. Would "Olympic Plumbing" be getting the same letter? I think not. If they're a registered business in Washington State, they have a legal right to the name. The WSLCB has the authority to say who sells where, how much and what wine in this state. Not the Olympic Committee. If this letter is real, these guys are just blowing smoke. Maybe we should ask Christine, she has had experience with insurance companies. My opinion, this is just a publicity stunt by the winery.

USOC

Actually, the USOC and IOC have a long, long history of intimidating businesses with the name "Olympic" in it. As recently as 2005, the USOC threw its legal weight on top of the Ferret Olympics, forcing the Eugene, Ore., event to change its name.

Another example.

That said, Charlton is a brilliant marketer, so she'd be smart to take advantage of the situation.

Olympic Winery vs. U.S. Olympic Committee

Agreed. But the Ferret Oylmpics were some sort or athletic competition? Wine is not athletic competition; mountains, peninsulas and high schools are not an athletic competition. Apples and oranges, my man. And USOC and IOC still have to contend with the WSLCB behemoth. I'm betting on the WSLCB. Where's your dollar?

Agreed, she is a brilliant marketeer. Nice hedge.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.