Authenticating vintage bottles of wine by means of high-energy ion beams

The aim of this article is to describe the main analysis methods which are achieved by means of a high-energy ion beam produced by a particle accelerator. Amongst these, the PIXE method (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) has been carried out on an external beam-line, allowing for the analysis of items in the open air. This setup notably allows for the analysis of works of art, which are often of large dimension and cannot thus be placed under vacuum, or cannot be subjected to sampling. Within this framework, a specific application has been developed in order to the study the chemical composition of glass bottles. This article presents the results of the analysis of a hundred of vintage red Bordeaux wines with registered designation of origin. The knowledge of the history of the industrial production of the glass allows for the explanation of the variations observed in the chemical composition of the main components and trace elements. This approach provides a data base which can be used when authenticating a bottle within the framework of an expert evaluation.