Answer by: Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
"Proprietary" is anything which is, in principle, unique or exclusive to the owner or user. You could say that the brand name itself is proprietary, but in the wine business the term usually applies to a secondary designation or fanciful name of some sort (but not a vineyard name). Examples include Concha Y Toro "Don Melchor", Barbi "Brusco dei Barbi", D'Arenberg "The Dead Arm", or Drouhin "Vero". Such names also tend to be protected by trademark like the brand name.
I suppose you could also call any unique blend of grapes or vineyards a "proprietary blend", and there are wineries who use that phrase. In fact, there are thousands of unique blends in the wine world if we consider the possible variations of grape varieties, percentages used in the blend, and vineyard sourcing.
About the Expert:Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade, and he last served as a senior executive with a major national importer. In 2006, he launched Millesima USA, a retail entity affiliated with Europe's leading fine wine mail order company. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993, and he has been very active as an educator and speaker at wine festivals and conferences. He hosts a community television program entitled "Wine's Simple Pleasures," and is currently working on a book of original recipes and wine pairing solutions. Visit Roger C. Bohmrich, MW's website: MILLESIMA USA LLC
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