"Sensational" Paris Hilton is not a worthy poster girl for Prosecco white sparkling wine, Italian winemakers told Reuters.
Hilton stars in the advertising campaign for Rich Prosecco, nude and painted in gold in one ad reminiscent of the James Bond film "Goldfinger."
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"Hilton hotels are a sign of quality; Paris Hilton is not," said Fulvio Brunetta, president of the wine growers association of Treviso, the northern Italian city in the Veneto region where Prosecco is made.
"Paris Hilton is sensationalism. It's not good. It's not adequate for Prosecco," Brunetta told Reuters.
The association is planning two meetings next week to decide on ways to protect the Prosecco name and insure that any company selling Prosecco is actually using wine made from the Treviso area.
"Without stricter rules, Rich Prosecco or another company could sell Prosecco made in Brazil or wherever," Brunetta said.
That's not going to stop Rich Prosecco, which says it sources its wine from the Treviso area.
"We follow exactly European laws, which are very strict, especially concerning wine," Rich Prosecco Chief Executive and owner Gunther Aloys told Reuters.
Aloys says he is helping build the wine's world renown and does not understand the fuss.
"It's as if someone from Champagne would oppose us selling champagne cans with Kate Moss for example. It's just marketing and Paris Hilton is the most famous girl in the world."
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