Brand protection technology provider Payne Security is supplying one of the top 10 producing US wineries in California with a new anti-counterfeiting solution.

The winery has selected a proprietary taggant authentication solution to protect its finest high-value wine range, retailing at over US$150 a bottle. The covert security system provides reliable product verification and enables the detection of counterfeit products.

The wine industry is becoming increasingly aware of the growing counterfeit threat for high-value products. The most common methods of counterfeiting involve the reuse of genuine packaging, with refilling or relabeling common practice. Securing bottles with methods such as laser engraving fails to provide significant protection against counterfeiters as these can be re-filled and it also potentially makes it easier to sell as such bottles can successfully go through an authentication test. Authentication of the cork is also not a favoured option because government regulatory bodies often do not allow any sort of foreign material to be used on it as it comes in contact with the wine and could potentially affect its quality.

As with any product protection solution, maximum protection is achieved only if the portion of the product containing the authentication solution is destroyed or permanently altered upon use of the product.  One of the features of the Payne Security system is that, unlike other technologies, it is not dependant on a response visible to the naked eye, therefore any change is incredibly difficult to detect and can only be verified with a Payne Security handheld reader. This allows the brand owner to carry out random authentication checks throughout the distribution chain.

Neil Ivey, sales manager for Payne Security in North America, says: “Our taggant authentication solution has been successfully used for many years around the world, across some of the most demanding industries, and the wine industry can now take advantage of the advanced security capabilities this innovative technology.”