The “APM”, Automatic Prosecco Machine, debuts in London. The Consortium replies, “It’s a fraud”

It’s a fact that Prosecco is perhaps the most famous Italian wine in the world, which is a great advantage for Italy, both economically and culturally. But, it is also true that success carries some burdens, as they say, which in the case of the famous bubbles, is seeing its name used inappropriately. And, it has happened again. The most recent incident comes from London, where a winery in the city center, Vagabond Wines, has “replaced” an ATM machine with an “APM”, which is an acronym that stands for “Automatic Prosecco Machine”. It resembles the cash machines, except that it is a vending machine where you can purchase glasses of Prosecco wine. The American economic magazine, Forbes, was the first to report the news, and to re-launch the images of the APM that Vagabond Wines had published on its website and on its social channels.
For some people it might be a kind of “tribute” to the prestigious Italian bubbles, but the Prosecco DOC Protection Consortium’s comment came immediately and harsh, explaining that, “this is obviously fraud towards British consumers, besides the serious damage it will have on the image of our denomination”. “Our offices issued their first report in the middle of last week,” added the president of the Consortium Stefano Zanette, “as soon as the Consortium had evidence of the initiative. The Consortium has also activated its lawyers, in order to contest the illegitimate reference to the Prosecco name as it appears on the London vending machine. Furthermore, the Consortium has taken this occasion to reiterate that,” he concluded, “besides what has just happened in the United Kingdom, it will take action against anyone, in any location, in Italy and abroad as well, who will continue to administer draft wine and sell it as “Prosecco”, which is absolutely not allowed in any way under the current regulations”.