🍷 Nice Class 33: Alcoholic Beverages
The EUIPO register holds 118,745 trademarks in Class 33, the class for wine, spirits and every other alcoholic drink except beer (as of July 2026). (as of July 2026).
118,745
Marks in the EU register
69,708
Registered with the EUIPO
+2 %
Growth 2020–2024
58 %
Word mark share
Class 33 is where wine and spirits brands live: it covers alcoholic beverages of every kind, with one important exception, because beer belongs in Class 32. The EUIPO register holds 118,745 trademarks in Class 33, of which 69,708 are registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data). Growth is modest: new registrations edged up from 5,266 in 2020 to 5,368 in 2024, a 2 percent increase, with 4,580 added in 2025. The list of top filers reads like a well-stocked back bar: Bacardi leads with 381 trademarks, followed by spirits group Diageo with 311, wine distributor Oenoforos with 303, California winery E & J Gallo with 300 and Spanish producer Miguel Torres with 282. The type of mark is telling too: 58 percent of trademarks in Class 33 are word marks, in an industry that lives off its labels. Experienced filers know the name outlasts every label redesign.
What belongs in Class 33?
Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages, except beers. Typical examples: wine, sparkling wine, spirits such as gin, whisky, vodka, rum and liqueurs, cider, plus alcoholic cocktails and mixed drinks. One important distinction: beer and beer-based mixed drinks fall under Class 32, and so do non-alcoholic beverages, including alcohol-free wine or alcohol-free gin. If you also run a shop or sell other brands' products under your name, you need service classes such as Class 35 on top.
Typical examples: Wine, spirits, liqueurs (except beer)
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 33
Most active applicants in Class 33
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bacardi & Company Limited | 381 |
| 2 | Diageo Brands Bv | 311 |
| 3 | Oenoforos Ab | 303 |
| 4 | E & J Gallo Winery | 300 |
| 5 | Miguel Torres Sa | 282 |
| 6 | Chivas Holdings (Ip) Limited | 273 |
| 7 | Les Grands Chais De France | 252 |
| 8 | Codorníu Sa | 248 |
| 9 | Diageo North America Inc | 228 |
| 10 | Lidl Stiftung & Co Kg | 210 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
In practice, Class 33 is most often combined with Class 32 (beer, beer-based drinks and alcohol-free variants), Class 30 (foods such as coffee, confectionery or sauces sold under the same brand) and Class 35 (retail, online shop, advertising). Before filing, think about whether alcohol-free products or your own shop are on the roadmap, because the list of goods and services cannot be extended later. Secure your name as a word mark and protect the label separately if you like. And search the register thoroughly first: Bacardi, Diageo and E & J Gallo maintain very large portfolios in this class, and nobody wants to collide with them.
Common mistakes with Class 33
The best-known trap sits right in the class heading: beer does not belong in Class 33 but in Class 32. Brewery founders keep filing their brand in the supposed "alcohol class" and end up with no protection for their core product. Second mistake: forgetting alcohol-free variants. Alcohol-free gin and de-alcoholised wine also fall under Class 32, so anyone filing Class 33 alone leaves that range unprotected. Third, many producers rely entirely on their label: 58 percent of trademarks in Class 33 are word marks, yet plenty of brands protect only a combined mark with the label design, and after a relaunch the protection for the name itself can quickly fall away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What belongs in Nice Class 33?
Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages except beers: wine, sparkling wine, spirits such as gin, whisky or liqueurs, cider, and alcoholic cocktails and mixed drinks. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages belong in Class 32 instead. The EUIPO register holds 118,745 trademarks in Class 33 (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data).
Does beer belong in Class 33?
No. Beer falls under Class 32, together with beer-based mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages. This is one of the most common classification mistakes for drinks brands. A brewery needs Class 32, a winery or distillery needs Class 33, and anyone offering both files both classes.
Who files the most trademarks in Class 33?
According to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), Bacardi leads with 381 trademarks, ahead of Diageo (311), Oenoforos (303), E & J Gallo (300) and Miguel Torres (282). Spirits groups and large wine houses protect entire product families here, often with separate marks for individual bottlings and editions.
Which classes are typically combined with Class 33?
Most often Class 32 for beer and alcohol-free variants, Class 30 for foods under the same brand, and Class 35 for retail and online shops. A distillery that also sells alcohol-free gin and runs its own shop covers the typical gaps with 33, 32 and 35.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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