To Kalon Creek Removed from Official Maps

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names has removed “To Kalon Creek” from official maps, granting Constellation Brands’ petition (Constellation is the parent company of Robert Mondavi Winery). Across the U.S., many place names already overlap with private trademarks—for example, Stags’ Leap is both a registered trademark of Treasury Wine Estates and an American Viticultural Area. The question is whether this move marks the beginning of a broader trend, where names tied to Napa’s landscape could shift from shared heritage to private marketing assets.

“What’s at stake is not just the legacy of To Kalon but the concept of place in American wine,” MacDonald told Wine Spectator. “Our wine community must stand up for the authenticity of its heritage sites and only then can we build real multi-generational respect for the land.”

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