Federal Judge Rejects Emergency Bid to Strip The Wine School of Philadelphia of Its Trademarked Name

A précis of a May 29, 2026 article published by Wine Business, “Federal Judge Rejects Emergency Bid to Strip The Wine School of Philadelphia of Its Trademarked Name”

A federal judge rejected an emergency effort to prevent the Wine School of Philadelphia from using the name “Philly Wine School,” finding that the school had been publicly associated with the phrase for nearly two decades.

In a 36-page opinion issued May 26, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joshua D. Wolson denied PhillyWine LLC’s request for a preliminary injunction. The dispute followed the Wine School’s December 2025 federal trademark registration for “Philly Wine School” and its subsequent efforts to enforce that mark.

The ruling focused heavily on the history of the name. Judge Wolson found media references identifying the Wine School of Philadelphia as “Philly Wine School” dating to at least 2005. PhillyWine LLC, meanwhile, acknowledged that it had not regularly used the phrase historically, and the court found its earlier use to be sporadic, becoming substantially more prominent only in 2024 and 2025.

The opinion also addressed accusations surrounding the Wine School’s trademark enforcement. Wolson characterized its conduct as an effort to resolve competing trademark claims rather than an attempt to create consumer confusion. The court noted that founder Keith Wallace had offered to help restore PhillyWine’s suspended Instagram account if the competing “Philly Wine School” handle was discontinued.

Wallace described the ruling as vindication after months of public controversy.

“For months, we have said that this dispute should be decided on evidence, not accusations,” he said.

His focus, he added, was returning to the school’s central work: “We are continuing to teach, our sommelier classes are continuing, and we remain focused on our amazing students.”

The original article is located at https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/318485