Kodak Helps Fight Wine Fraud

According to industry experts, counterfeit wine could affect as much as 5 percent of wines sold in secondary markets. Eager to address the growing threat posed by producers of imitation wines, several of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wineries—including Colgin Cellars, HL Vineyards, Vineyard 29 and Staglin Family Vineyard—are employing a new, high-tech anticounterfeiting technology from Kodak, Rochester, N.Y., to protect their brands and customers.

The Kodak anticounterfeiting technology prevents counterfeiters from duplicating product packaging using invisible markers that are added to printing inks, paper and other packaging elements. The markers are detectable only with proprietary handheld readers, which are leased to customers and delivered in tamperproof packaging.

“This system enables us to quickly and easily determine if a suspect bottle is authentic or fake,” said Jennifer Lamb, owner, HL Vineyards. “The Kodak solution fits our needs because it’s simple yet robust.”

For wine makers with unique bottling methods, the Kodak solution can be adapted to fit their product specifications. Chuck McMinn, owner of Vineyard 29, appreciates the technology’s flexibility. “Our label information is silk screened directly on the bottle,” explained McMinn. “Kodak was quick to adapt their technology to our specific needs. And, our anticounterfeiting solution does not interfere with the process we use to bottle our wines.”

For more information, visit www.kodak.com.