British wine watchdog orders Ménage à Trois brand to tone down its sex-themed labelling or be banned from sale after an anonymous complaint
- Regulator the Portman Group demanded changes after anonymous complaint
- Found the wine did not meet code of practice on naming and packaging
- Sellers are forbidden from linking alcohol to sex or to sexual success
- Winery disputed the findings but caved and agreed to make the changes
The US wine brand Ménage à Trois, which promises drinkers can savour the ‘pleasures of the dark’ must tone down its sex-themed label to continue being sold in the UK, a watchdog has ruled.
British regulators demanded Californian wine change phrases currently written on the bottle.
The Portman Group’s concerns included the maker’s ‘Midnight’ blend claiming it was concerned with ‘satisfying your deepest desires’ and ‘turning out the lights and savoring the pleasures of the dark’.
Pictured: The labels that the Portman Group took issue with and have decided must be changed while being sold in the UK
This, coupled with its brand name’s sexual overtones, was deemed to breach the code of conduct for sellers.
Following an audit of 500 products, the group found it did not maintain the Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks.
A complaint against the labelling was upheld due it it not adhering to a rule on ‘not directly or indirectly linking a product to sexual activity or sexual successes.
Though the Portman Group made clear that the name alone wasn’t enough to rule out selling the wine in British shops, it urged the winery to make changes.
The bottles (pictured) will soon have new labelling for UK viewers after it was criticised for linking alcohol to sexual success
The regulator said: ‘While the phrase Ménage à Trois is commonly known to be linked to sexual activity, it can also be used figuratively, and so the name was not inherently problematic on its own.’
But it added that any other content that links the risque name to sex would stop it from meeting guidelines.
‘The producer deliberately made a link to sex on their label description, highlighting phrases like ‘…savor the pleasures of the dark,’ which connected the name of the product to sex,’ the group said.
Trinchero Family Estates – which operates Ménage à Trois – disputed the findings, but ultimately caved.
A spokesperson said:’Although we do not agree with the Panel’s interpretation under the Code, we respect the Panel’s view and will undertake to revise the label to remove the mentioned references.’