Chateau Margaux is stepping up the war on wine fraud after announcing that it will introduce a new seal on its bottles from this week.

The Prooftag strip contains a reference number and unique pattern, allowing each individual bottle to be checked on Chateau Margaux's website to ensure it is genuine, Decanter reports.

Prooftag will be applied to all bottles of Chateau Margaux, Pavillon Rouge and Pavillon Blanc, covering all vintages from 2009 onwards.

"We want the right tools in place now to be able to authenticate the bottles in 30 years time," Chateau Margaux director Paul Pontallier told the publication.

"Once they leave the cellar, it is too late."

Hong Kong Customs & Excise officer Albert Ho added that there have been no proven cases of counterfeit wine in Hong Kong, but stressed that the department is preparing for the future nevertheless.
BBC News reported last month that as many as one-quarter of licensed premises in some areas of the UK have been found to have counterfeit alcohol for sale.