Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/877508
36 WINES&VINES October 2017 BOTTLES &LABELS NEW ANTI-COUNTERFEITING FEATURES ARE MORE SUBTLE I f you think your brand is too low-end to be the object of counterfeiting, you could be painfully wrong. The sheer volume of lower priced wines can make them as vul- nerable as cult vintages: It's all in the numbers. Red Bull, for instance, is among the world's most counterfeited beverage brands. Swiss- based company SICPA aims to protect your assets like a Swiss bank account. SICPA's wine expert, Rich Einhorn, said the company currently is serving nine U.S. wineries, all in Sonoma or Napa counties. But with the debut of new sample labels and capsules developed by Vallejo's Affinity Creative Group, Einhorn said he wants to increase that number. He told Wines & Vines the latest anti-counterfeit device pro- totypes are subtle, less intru- sive on packaging design and more consumer friendly. "The best way to look at a branded item is like a bank note," Einhorn said. "Look at a $100 bill. Consumers can authenticate it by the look and feel. We try to layer features to target each layer The labels "sense" tempera- ture and change appearance when the wine reaches the ideal serving temperature. Designed by the firm Marks, a member of the design collective sgsco, the labels are printed on Manter Tin- teretto Crystal Salt Ultra Wet- Strength stock. Sonoma's CCL Label does the printing, using a combination of conventional and thermal ink from Chromatic Technologie Inc. in spot areas. Costs for this treatment are mini- mal, and with standard bottle shapes, there are reportedly no bottling line problems. According to spokesman Jim Caudill, TWE will most likely ex- tend the thermal "Chill Check" program to other brands. "There are no decisions, just explorations and ideas right now," he said. Matua chief winemaker Greg Rowdon said the idea is simple. "It's all about enhancing fresh- ness and drinkability, making it simple for people to recognize the best temperature to release and enhance flavors without The labels on Matua Sauvignon Blanc reveal temperature changes. A lens is used to evaluate the au- thenticity of a product. Here, the image differs from right to left.