by Sophie Kevany

A new test to identify fine wine fakes bottles has been developed by French nuclear scientists, in conjunction with an English merchant, the Antique Wine Company.  The test measures the x-rays emitted by energised ions in the glass bottle, and has been in development since 2005, by researchers at Arcane, the nuclear study centre in Bordeaux, which works with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

“It is very hard to make a fake with exactly the same bottle of this glass, made for a particular chateau, in a particular batch, in a particular year,” said Hervé Guégan, a researcher at Arcane.

Having verified the technology works, Stephen Williams, director of the London-based Antique Wine company, said the task now is to assemble a comprehensive benchmark database by measuring x-rays emitted by authentic, chateau stored bottles.

Williams said he was already in discussions with the top premier cru classé wines - Haut-Brion, Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Mouton and Yquem ­ as well as Petrus and Cheval Blanc, about building up the database.

Asked about the costs of using the ion beam test Williams said it was primarily for the company’s own use. “We handle more old wine than most, and due diligence into provenance is very high on our agenda,” he said. “How much it would cost for a bottle or a case? It is too early to say, but we will certainly make the facility available to others.”

The Antique Wine Company has a turnover of about £10m ($17.7m/€12m), Williams said, and sells at least 5,000 bottles of wines over 25 years old each year. Williams said he has so far invested the best part of £100,000 in the project.