SASSICAIA was voted the wine of the century by people who vote on such things. So a printer in Tuscany reproduced the label on watermarked paper. Someone in Spain reproduced the special wrappings around the bottle’s neck. A bottling company in Tuscany matched up Sassiciaia’s green bottles. Someone found a similar Cabernet grape and blended in a wine that had a bouquet similar to that of SASSICAIA. Then enough fakes were produced to equal 12% of Sassicaia’s annual production.
From: “Swell or Swill,” in today’s Wall Street Journal, on wine counterfeiting (no free online version available). Some discussion of preventative measures being taken, such as holograms, etc.