Some people collect art, some collect timeless pieces of jewellery, but others take part in the true art of fine collection: Wine. A collection of fine wine can bring just as much joy as a portfolio of portraits, as you hunt down a rare vintage. So, if you wish to begin your very own fine wine collection, where should you start and how can you maintain it?

Build a Bond, Buy the Best

When the market offers such a multitude of producers, merchants and vineyards to choose from, how does a wine connoisseur find the perfect vintage for their collection? A good place to start is taking the decision to only buy the best, from the best. The key is to identify the best wines for your collection and store them in the original cases under bond. You should have a guarantee that the wine was previously stored in a temperature controlled facility, so it stays in perfect condition.

Try building a bond with your local wine merchant. This can be very beneficial, as they can advise you on certain trends or the best wines to invest in. They may even be able to assist in securing difficult-to-access stocks and could even provide a platform from which to sell.

Patience is Key

It’s a well-known fact that some wine improves with age, so patience may be necessary to get the most out of your collection. As its value grows over the years, your vintage collection could prove to be an incredibly valuable investment. Of course, that Château Lafite Rothschild may be rather tempting, but if you can resist temptation now, you may reap the benefits later.

Different wines have different ageing processes, so it is important to know how to best look after each bottle in your cellar.

You can read more about this in a previous blog – The Lifespan of Wine.

5 Year Minimum

Since 1999, Investment in fine wine has produced positive returns every five-year period. The best investment grade wines are produced in smaller quantities (up to 20,000 cases). As these wines mature, they become much more desirable and rare, driving prices much higher. Owner of Cult Wines, says “As with any investment market, you can have boom-and-bust cycles, but due to fine wine’s unique characteristics (finite supply, increasing demand), if you invest with a medium-to-long-term horizon you can avoid any short-term fluctuations and benefit from the remarkably consistent and low-volatile returns afforded by wine investment,”.

The Risk of En Primeur

When investing in En Primeur for your collection, you choose to take a risk. Traditionally this was the best way for collectors and investors to purchase their liquid gold, as it guaranteed them the lowest market price. Such wines can give a greater sense of security, as you may communicate with the chateaux or vineyard directly. However, buying En Primeur means full commitment to the wine before knowing the quality. This can be particularly exciting for some wine connoisseurs who choose to purchase En Primeur. As a rule of thumb, don’t fully commit to En Primeur in advance to price release.

The way you store your fine wine will dramatically affect its durability and time-worthiness. Every minute detail makes a difference, such as the size of the bottle and the temperature surrounding it.

A Spiral Library can help to keep your fine wine collection organised and structured. The personalised online wine portfolio combines your inventory and search tools, organised by tasting notes, market data and much more. As an overall management tool, you can easily categorise your collection, generate reports, research industry trends, read information and reviews on specific wines and even trade your collection with low rates of commission. If you would like to know more about our Spiral Library, you can find information on our Spiral Library outlet, including the latest offers and news.

If you would like to see some of our wine storage cellar successes, please take a look at our Houzz profile, where the inspiration is bound to flow, or simply get in touch to begin your fine wine journey.