Cristal is a well-known brand in the luxury champagne market, and around half a million bottles are produced every year (compared with around 7.5 million bottles of Dom Pérignon), and in some years no bottles at all if the harvest is not of a sufficiently high standard.

Louis Roederer , the manufacturer of Cristal, sued the manufacturer of Cristalino back in 2010, claiming that consumers would be confused into thinking that Cristalino was in some way connected with Cristal, but also - due to the reputation of the Cristal brand - that the Cristalino product took unfair advantage of, and was detrimental to, the distinctive character or repute of Cristal.

The history and repute of Cristal are undoubted. Cristal was first created in 1876 for Alexander II of Russia, and is viewed by many as the first prestige cuvée. As the political situation in Russia at the time of his rule was unstable, the Tsar feared assassination. He ordered that champagne bottles for his Three Emperors Dinner be made clear, so that he could see the bubbles and also to prevent hiding a bomb within them, as could happen with a typical dark green bottle. Louis Roederer commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to create a clear lead glass Champagne bottle with a flat bottom. The Champagne has since become known as "Cristal"

Overall, and apart from the judge was impressed by the volume of press coverage generated by the Cristal brand, given the tiny proportion of the UK champagne market it occupied.

The High Court of Justice Chancery Division Intellectual Property held that use of the Cristalino mark would result in dilution and detriment to the distinctiveness of the Cristal brand, particularly when used in relation to cheap cava. The later brand would also be free-riding on the reputation of Cristal: evidence from several sources, including social media sites, showed consumers drinking Cristalino and jokingly pretending that it was Cristal, thereby benefitting Cristalino by associating it with the more prestigious product.