Griffin v. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates LTD.

491 P.3d 619, 169 Idaho 57
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 19, 2021
Docket47703
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 491 P.3d 619 (Griffin v. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates LTD.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griffin v. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates LTD., 491 P.3d 619, 169 Idaho 57 (Idaho 2021).

Opinion

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO

Docket No. 47703

MARY CLARE GRIFFIN, individual, and as ) parent and guardian of her minor child, G.G; and ) G.G., a minor child, by and through his parent) Boise, February 2021 Term and guardian, Mary Clare Griffin, ) ) Substitute Opinion filed: July 19, Plaintiffs-Appellants, ) 2021 v. ) ) SUBSTITUTE OPINION. THE STE. MICHELLE WINE ESTATES LTD., a ) COURT’S PRIOR OPINION Washington corporation; MARCHESI ) DATED APRIL 14, 2021, IS ANTINORI S.R.L., a foreign societa ) HEREBY WITHDRAWN. responsabilita limitata; ZIGNANO VETRO ) S.P.A., a foreign societa per azioni, ) Melanie Gagnepain, Clerk ) Defendants-Respondents, ) ) and ) ALBERTSON'S LLC, a Delaware limited liability ) company; S & C IMPORTERS AND ) DISTRIBUTORS, INC., dba S&C WINES, an ) Idaho corporation; and DOES I through X, ) ) Defendants. )

Appeal from the District Court of the Fifth Judicial District of the State of Idaho, Blaine County. Ned C. Williamson, District Judge.

The judgment of the district court is affirmed in part and reversed and remanded in part.

Powers Farley, PC, Boise, for Appellants. Donald Farley argued.

DLA Piper LLP (US), Seattle, for Respondents Ste. Michelle Wine Estates LTD and Marchesi Antinori S.R.L. Anthony Todaro argued.

Quane Jones McColl, PLLC, Boise, for Respondent Zignano Vetro S.P.A. Brendan T. Fitzpatrick argued. _______________________________________________

1 MOELLER, Justice.

This case, involving international parties and addressing fundamental questions of jurisdictional law, stems from an unfortunate kitchen accident. Mary Clare Griffin purchased a bottle of Italian wine, which broke in her hands as she attempted to open it, causing substantial injuries. Griffin and her son, 1 a minor who witnessed the event, brought a product liability suit against Zignago Vetro S.P.A. (Zignago), the Italian manufacturer of the wine bottle; Marchesi Antinori SRL (Antinori), the Italian wine company that purchased the bottle from Zignago, filled it with wine, and exported it to the United States; Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Ltd. (Ste. Michelle), the United States importer; S & C Importers and Distributors, Inc. (S&C), the Idaho distributor who purchased the bottle from Ste. Michelle; and, Albertson’s LLC (Albertson’s), the retailer that sold the bottle to Griffin. Zignago successfully moved the district court to dismiss Griffin’s complaint based on a lack of personal jurisdiction. Griffin appeals the district court’s decision, asking this Court to apply the personal jurisdiction framework established by the United States Supreme Court in World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson, 444 U.S. 286 (1980). Zignago asserts that the district court did not err by applying the stricter test that the United States Supreme Court offered in Asahi Metal Indus. Co. v. Superior Court of California, Solano Cnty., 480 U.S. 102 (1987) (plurality). Griffin also appeals the district court’s order granting summary judgment to Antinori and Ste. Michelle on the grounds that Griffin failed to meet her burden to show a prima facie case for a product liability claim. Additionally, Griffin appeals several adverse discovery rulings. S&C and Albertson’s are not parties to this appeal. I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND A. Factual Background On October 5, 2017, Mary Clare Griffin purchased a 2011 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. Riserva bottle of wine (hereinafter “the bottle”) from Albertson’s grocery store in Hailey, Idaho. Griffin is a professional chef who provides cooking services to individuals and entities in Idaho. She purchased the wine to use in making tomato sauce for her clients. The day after purchasing the bottle, Griffin used a corkscrew to open it. For purposes of the appeal, it is undisputed that a defect in the neck of the bottle caused it to fracture, break, and severely injure Griffin’s left hand when she attempted to open it.

1 For ease of reference, Griffin will be referred to in the singular throughout this opinion.

2 Zignago manufactured the glass bottle that caused injury to Griffin. Zignago is a foreign limited liability company that operates in Italy, but also engages in international trade. Zignago sold many of its manufactured bottles to Antinori. Antinori is an Italian wine company that produces a variety of wines, including a product known as “Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva.” From 2008 to June 30, 2018, Antinori purchased over 92 million wine bottles from Zignago. During the same time period, Antinori exported over 43 million bottles of wine to the United States. Since 2013, Ste. Michelle, acting as an exporter, has shipped 1,308 bottles of Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva to various Idaho distributors, in bottles manufactured by Zignago and filled by Antinori. One of those distributors, S&C, sold 138 bottles of Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva to Idaho customers and consumers between January 1, 2013, and August 31, 2018. One of those customers was Albertson’s. From October of 2015 to September of 2018, Albertson’s sold 289 bottles of Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva wine. Antinori and Zignago have an agreement for the supply of the wine bottles. Their agreement discusses the details of the relationship and the product to be purchased. Before entering the agreement, Zignago acknowledges it discussed the markets in which Antinori operates with Antinori. The agreement requires each bottle to have a special label for tracing. Antinori confirmed the bottle that caused Griffin’s injuries was manufactured by Zignago. Zignago maintains a website that is accessible in Idaho. The website shows Zignago’s products and specifications, including a bottle identical to the one at issue in this case. However, the website does not direct advertisements to the United States or Idaho. Individuals cannot purchase products from the website and no products have been directly sold from the website. Those who visit the website do not have to provide personal information. B. Procedural History Griffin’s complaint alleged seven causes of action: (1) strict liability, (2) negligent design, (3) negligent manufacture, (4) failure to warn, (5) negligence, (6) breach of express warranty, and (7) breach of implied warranty. Griffin alleged that Zignago and Antinori “designed, produced, manufactured, bottled, assembled, packaged, sold, shipped, and/or caused to be imported into the United States of America . . . a bottle of wine known as and labeled Villa Antinori Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. Riserva 2011.” Griffin alleged that Ste. Michelle imported the bottle to the United States, which was later sold to S&C and then to Albertson’s, which sold the bottle to Griffin. Griffin further alleged that the defect in the bottle was caused by the design,

3 manufacture, or filling of the bottle and was present at the time the bottle left Zignago’s or Antinori’s possession. Griffin complained that the defect in the bottle caused her injury, resulting in severe and permanent damage. In order to satisfy personal jurisdiction, Griffin alleged that Zignago and Antinori placed the bottle within the stream of commerce and knew or should have known that the bottle would reach Griffin, or a similarly situated individual, in Idaho. Zignago made a special appearance to contest the district court’s personal jurisdiction on May 23, 2018. Zignago moved the district court to quash Griffin’s service and/or dismiss the action under Idaho Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2) for lack of personal jurisdiction.

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491 P.3d 619, 169 Idaho 57, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griffin-v-ste-michelle-wine-estates-ltd-idaho-2021.