An Introduction to Fine Wine Investment

      The Shelburne Falls Wine Merchant offers a bespoke wine consultancy service for clients wishing to invest in fine wine. The following is a purview of the service. Please inquire for a more detailed accounting.

      Our aim is to offer a full investment service, identifying the best wine for purpose, sourcing and cellaring. We acquire wine for drinking in the short to medium term, and for long term investment. You convey to us your desires and we will do the rest.

      We have been active in the market since 1983, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge in all aspects of wine management. We purchase only the finest wines, with impeccable provenance - those are some of the secrets of a great wine cellar.

      We advise not only on the classical areas such as Bordeaux , Burgundy and Piedmont , but wherever the market has produced very high quality product, that has investment potential. California and the Cotes du Rhone for example, have shown over the past ten years spectacular growth, as have some fabulous wines from Australia . If the opportunity exists, we will be aware and if requested take advantage.

      We do not hold stocks, but on instruction go into the marketplace on your behalf to purchase the best wine available. We feel that if we were a stockholder then we would not be truly independent for our clients, and they are our "raison d'etre". We find the very best wine, at the very best price, which has been impeccably handled and stored for the client. Nothing less is acceptable.

      If you wish, for a per case per year fee, we will arrange to insure and cellar your wine under optimum conditions, held in your account, in cases marked as your property. We will manage the holdings if you wish, but title and control always remain with the client. We have a verifying relationship with a lawyer / accountant and every six months this firm certifies that the stock held, balances with any stock certificate issued. Only they can issue a competent certificate.

      Some clients do ask us to sell on their behalf, and we are more than happy to provide this service. We will instruct on an auction house to sell your holdings, they do however charge a commission. Alternatively we can arrange sale through the market that will deliver the proceeds quicker and possibly at a better price. Market conditions and the particular requirements of the client dictate the route to be taken.

      Always remember, the families who have great cellars very often have been drinking "for free" for generations. The ancestor, who laid down the initial bottles, did so with the future in mind so he bought twice what he actually required to consume. When the wine matured he drank his half and sold the rest at current prices to finance new wines. So all his fortunate successors had to do was to emulate the lesson of their farsighted forbearer, and their drinking pleasure was assured.

      Great wine delivers anticipation when purchased, the promise of pleasure and whether consumed or sold - satisfaction!