Cole Palmer in a dispute with – a vineyard?

Chelsea and England talent Cole Palmer has found himself in an unusual off-field dispute – this time not with a rival defender, but with a French vineyard. The clash stems from his attempt to trademark the nickname ‘Cold Palmer’.

At just 23, Palmer has become one of football’s brightest names, instantly recognizable for his trademark ‘ice cold’ celebration. Each time he scores, he theatrically rubs his arms and blows out his cheeks to show he’s “freezing.”

In 2023, Palmer took the step of applying to trademark both the nickname and the celebration, with ambitions of attaching the brand to a wide range of products – from clothing and toiletries to alcohol, food, toys, razor blades, and even low-calorie drinks.

But his ambitions quickly ran into opposition. Chateau Palmer, a prestigious Bordeaux vineyard located in the Margaux region, argued that the proposed trademark could damage its own reputation. The vineyard, whose bottles can fetch up to 750 euros each, objected strongly to the fact that Palmer’s application specifically included wine.

The application to the UK’s Intellectual Property Office listed: “Alcoholic beverages; alcoholic fruit beverages; pre-mixed alcoholic beverages; wines; spirits; liqueurs; alcoholic energy drinks; low alcoholic beverages; none of the aforesaid including wines complying with the specifications of the PDO Champagne.”

That wording was enough to spark a legal challenge from the French estate. Now, both parties will have their chance to present arguments before officials at the Intellectual Property Office, who will decide the outcome of this unusual brand war.

Whether Palmer himself even drinks wine is unclear – as a Premier League star, he has kept his preferences private. What is certain, though, is how the ‘Cold Palmer’ celebration became part of football culture.

Who can afford €300 million worth of players out of squad? Only Chelsea

It first appeared in December 2023 after Palmer scored in Chelsea’s 3–2 win over Luton. Ironically, the move wasn’t even his own invention. Palmer later revealed the idea came from his former Manchester City academy teammate Morgan Rogers, who had celebrated in a similar way while playing for Middlesbrough against West Brom a week earlier.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Friday

22.00: (5.30) West Ham (3.60) Chelsea (1.70)

Saturday

14.30: (1.50) Man.City (5.00) Tottenham (6.10)

17.00: (1.85) Bournemouth (3.85) Wolverhampton (4.40)

17.00: (3.35) Brentford (3.50) Aston Villa (2.25)

17.00: (2.35) Burnley (3.30) Sunderland (3.40)

19.30: (1.30) Arsenal (6.00) Leeds (11.0)

Sunday

16.00: (2.40) Crystal Palace (3.40) Nott.Forest (3.20)

16.00: (3.35) Everton (3.40) Brighton (2.30)

18.30: (3.60) Fulham (3.50) Man.Utd. (2.15)

***odds are subject to change***