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Lev Golitsyn is a Russian cognac brand owned by St. Petersburg-based CJSC Sparkling Wines. According to the data of the National Alcohol Association, the company leads the rating of Russian producers specializing in the production of sparkling wines. Lev Golitsyn is the flagship brand under which cognac and 5 types of champagne are produced. The brand portfolio also includes Bestuzhev cognac, Forest Cat whiskey, still wines. The production capacity of the enterprise is designed to produce over 6 million deciliters of champagne, 1 million deciliters of wine, and 110 thousand deciliters of cognac.
Historical information
During its long history, the company has been repeatedly renamed, reconstructed and changed its product range. The date of birth of the company is considered to be 1875 – the date of construction of the Slavic Brewery. The low-alcohol drinks produced on it were supplied to the most popular St. Petersburg restaurants, and in 1900 their high quality was confirmed by the gold medal of the Paris Exhibition.
After several “reincarnations”, the plant approached the current specialization and since 1945 began to produce champagne. Since 2004, cognac production has been established here: spirits of various ages are supplied from France, Spain and Transnistria. The brand is already represented in many regions of the country, and the company plans to bring it to foreign markets. In 2012, the company increased its assets through the acquisition of the Togliatti plant “Rosinka”, focused on the production of cognac and champagne.
Awards
Competition “100 best goods of Russia”:
- 2014 – Cognac “Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old was awarded the Silver badge of distinction.
Tasting competition “Best Product”:
- 2008 – Silver (“Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old) medal.
Prodexpo:
- 2017 – Silver (“Lev Golitsyn” 5-year-old) medal;
- 2019 – Silver (“Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old) medal.
Competition “Golden Lion” at the Golitsyn Festival:
- 2018 – Silver (“Lev Golitsyn” 5-year-old) medal.
International professional competition of wines and spirits, Moscow:
- 2012 – gold (“Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old) medal;
- 2017 – Silver (“Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old) medal, trademark “Lev Golitsyn” was awarded a special prize “Best Brand of the Year”.
- 2018 – gold (“Lev Golitsyn” 4-year-old) medal, trademark “Lev Golitsyn” was awarded the special prize “Best Brand of the Year”.
Trademark scandal
In 2009, the Lev Golitsyn brand was under threat – a legal bureau representing the interests of the descendants of the princely family raised an objection to the legal protection of the trademark. The statement pointed out the illegality of the registration of a trademark by Sparkling Wines, which includes the name of Prince Golitsyn, without the consent of his heirs. Family representatives insisted on stopping the production of products under this brand.
The Chamber for Patent Disputes took the side of the heirs, canceling the protection of the trademark. For Sparkling Wines, the loss of the brand would have been very significant: at that time, it accounted for 13% of sales. Creating and promoting a new brand would require significant financial influence and time, during which a certain percentage of buyers would prefer competitors’ products.
In a counter-statement, the company cited as an argument the fact that the person contesting the registration of the brand is not a direct descendant of Lev Golitsyn. According to lawyers, a third party was also involved in the conflict, which had previously registered a similar trademark, while securing the permission of the heirs to use the name of the prince. It has been suggested that the said company plans to force Sparkling Wines to sign a license agreement in order to profit from a percentage of sales. The company’s arguments seemed convincing to the head of Rospatent, who did not approve the board’s decision. Judging by the fact that the brand has not left the portfolio of “Sparkling Wines”, the parties managed to resolve the issue out of court.
Types of cognac Lev Golitsyn
“Master’s Legacy. Lev Golitsyn 4-year-old, 40%
Blended from four-year-old French cognac spirits. The bouquet reveals chocolate-honey notes, shades of raisins and vanilla against a general fruity-floral background. Taste sensations are characterized by fullness and sweetness, in a spicy-warming aftertaste notes of walnuts and wet wood are noted. The drink is good as an aperitif and can be served as an accompaniment to a meal: it awakens the appetite and goes well with many types of traditional snacks.
“Master’s Legacy. Lev Golitsyn 5-year-old, 40%
The youngest of the spirits included in the blend, obtained from France, is aged for 5 years. The color is light amber with a reddish tint. The aroma highlights the tones of fresh pear, walnut and spices. It has a very balanced and rounded taste with hints of apricot, peach, yellow plum, cinnamon. The aftertaste is enveloping, with chocolate notes. It can be consumed neat or with the addition of ice cubes.
