Buying and Storing Wine
When investing in wine for the first time you should start with Bordeaux because it is most in demand. For more than 150 years now wines produced in Bordeaux have fallen into five categories according to their quality: first, second, third, fourth, and fifth growths. The first growths are the most prestigious and expensive, and they take up to 20 years to mature. High quality wines mature slower, so first growths take longer to mature than say fourth growths.
Why Bordeaux? There are several reasons. First, the region has the right geographical and climatic conditions to produce high quality wine regularly. Second, châteaux in Bordeaux can only produce a finite quantity of wine – this furthers investment. Third, having been renowned for its wines for hundreds of years, the region has developed an excellent auction market about which swarm collectors, connoisseurs, and wine experts.
As already stated, the best bottles from the most famous châteaux represent the best investment. The price of bottles changes all the time, and it’s impossible to say which are the best investment, except at a specific time. Right now some top rated bottles that are worth investing in include 2005 Château Troplong Mondot at just under £250, 2003 Château Montrose at about £200, and 2003 Château Cos d’Estournel at around £150.
When investing in wine for the first time it’s better to do it through a broker who will recommend bottles and give other valuable advice. A firm specialised in wine investment will ask for either an upfront fee or an annual one. Whenever you sell your wine you’ll have to pay a commission. The firm will normally handle the storing of the wine – which must be done in a controlled environment. Note that since wine trade is not regulated there are fraudulent wine investing firms that try to trick new investors. Avoid such frauds by choosing an established wine investing firm.
As in all things, when purchasing fine wines for investment, advice should be sought from experts.
Choosing the best wine investment can be difficult, so careful consideration is crucial. Your questions on the best wine investments will be answered by our industry experts, free of charge.
Best Wine Investments
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