"Pole position"

Fighting fake wine with labels like banknotes

Safe from counterfeiting: the labels of the fine "Pole Position" wine series are in tune with the times.(Bild: Team Opitz)

Not every bottle contains what it says on the tin. "Fake labels" are the new scam of brazen criminals. The industry is fighting back. The technology that uses security features from the world of finance provides a remedy.

Not even excellent wine is safe from greedy fraudsters any more. In times of the fake cult, criminals are now copying the labels of coveted bottles from well-known winegrowers. "Cheap wines are then bottled under the counterfeit trademark and sold very expensively via the Internet," warn investigators. This not only annoys customers, but also damages the reputation of the producers.

More security for labels
"How do I recognize an original?" This question is now frequently asked in the industry. To protect its own brand, a German company, which is already trusted by winegrowers from Burgenland, is using stamps similar to those on banknotes. "Not only are the demands on design and layout increasing, the need for integrated security features for labels is also growing steadily. High-quality wines are increasingly being targeted by counterfeiters. Conventional protection mechanisms such as embossing are often not enough," explains the management of the Leonhard Kurz & Co KG Foundation in Stuttgart.

Willi Opitz plays it safe and beats fraudsters to the punch with security labels.(Bild: Team Opitz)

Diffractive structures
In cooperation with winegrower Willi Opitz from Illmitz, the special "Trustseal" technology is used to combine forgery-proof marking with an aesthetic depth effect. The label can create a three-dimensional perception through optical effects.

The use of so-called diffractive structures creates a striking visual dynamic that enables a different appearance depending on the viewing angle. For example, dark elements light up in green when tilted across the horizontal axis.

Ein Techniker

"Independent brand identity"
"Dynamic and static 'shades of gray' complement the variety of elements of the safety label," it adds. At the largest trade fair of its kind in Europe, the "ProWein" in Düsseldorf, which begins this weekend, the newly developed, highly refined wine label will be presented Willi Opitz is using the pioneering system to secure its premium "Pole Position" series, which was created especially for Formula 1: "Precision, dynamism and innovative power - the label concept conveys the central attributes of racing with vinophile magic. The metallic accents and holographic flag motifs pick up on the aesthetics of Formula 1 and create a unique brand identity."