Authentication seals to protect Chateau Palmer

In order to guarantee the authenticity of their wines, Château Palmer is working in partnership with Prooftag, the developers of Bubble Tag technology which allows wineries to protect their bottles and fight against counterfeiting.

Beginning with the 2009 vintage, every bottle of Château Palmer (Margaux, Third Growth), as well as its second label, Alter Ego, will be equipped with a “Bubble Tag” (a registered trademark) which will guarantee the wine’s authenticity and quality. Developed by the French company, Prooftag, this authentication seal contains all of the information pertaining to the bottle in question, recorded in a database prior to shipment and accessible to customers. How is this system original? It is based on Bubble Tag technology: a code which consists of a translucent polymer in the heart of which bubbles are generated in an entirely random fashion. This code constitutes the identity of each bottle. Each Bubble Tag is unique and impossible to reproduce, even for Prooftag.

Anti-counterfeiting

By scanning the Bubble Tag with their smartphone, customers can access all the information concerning the wine. Of course, it is also a guarantee of quality, traceability, and authenticity. Placing bottles under tamper-proof seals ensures customers that the bottles haven’t been opened beforehand. This technology is a decisive arm in the fight against counterfeiting, of which the Grand Crus are the principal target. “Our solutions aim to guarantee and secure the brand’s commercial activity and to protect their reputation”, underlines Franck Bourrières, Prooftag’s sales and marketing manager. Incidentally, for its anti-counterfeiting technology, Prooftag has received accreditation by Chinese authorities (China Anti-Counterfeiting Technology Association).

By opting for this technology, Château Palmer is serving as a pioneer among the Grand Cru Classés: currently, only a handful of estates, such as Château Montelena in California, Domaine Ponsot in Burgundy, and Château Canon La Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion, have already protected their bottles with the Bubble Tag system. “The exceptional character of each and every one of our bottles has led us to reinforce the authentication process for our wines. The technology developed by Prooftag has convinced us of its effectiveness, and it is for this reason that we have decided to equip all of our bottles with their authentication system”, declares Bernard De Laage de Meux, head of development at Château Palmer.