How Secure Is My Investment?

Security of the asset acquisition is fundamental for investors. It is therefore correct to assume that investors in wine have similar concerns. Clients should receive the relevant documentation and be comfortable with the security of the provider*.

*Further information regarding Vinum Investments Limited can be found in ‘About Us’.

For details of the investment process, please refer to ‘How do I get started?’. Once funds are cleared, wine is purchased in the name of the investor (unless otherwise stated).

Wine will be purchased at one of two stages:

En Primeur, when the wine is in the barrel or vat before bottling
In the bottle, when the wine is either older, rarer, from a past excellent vintage or is the most recent En Primeur to be bottled

Full certification of ownership is provided along with details of where the wine is located, or lying. Wine will usually be in one of three places:

En Primeur wine will be in the barrel at the château. Usually for 24 months prior to bottling and release.
A bonded warehouse in Bordeaux.
A bonded warehouse in London (London City Bond, Tilbury).

Storing wine in the correct environment at the optimum temperature, particularly investment-grade wine, is crucial to its future development and quality.

We strongly recommend that all wine not for immediate drinking, be stored in our temperature-controlled facilities to ensure it reaches its optimum and is not affected by poor storage and adverse conditions.

Wines that remain lying in Bordeaux are likely to retain the greatest investment value.

The wine is purchased in the name of the investor who has full certification of ownership. A record of payment is kept in the client account of Vinum Investments Limited which removes the wine from the inventory of the Company. The wine can only be moved or sold at the express direction of the investor. The respective bonded warehouses will have an account in the name of the investor.

How do I capitalise on my investment?

There has historically always existed a ready market for fine wine – both from an investment standpoint and increasingly, once mature, for drinking.

Limited production and availability are crucial drivers to the investment potential of wine.

Vinum Investments Limited strongly advises that you be guided by us when considering the sale of your wine for quotations and offers of purchase. We have a significant secondary market for investment wine which enables us to find ready buyers enabling us to maximise the sale price.

Alternatively, you are at liberty to sell the wine personally. This can be done through a wine merchant or auction houses such as Sotherby’s or Christie’s. Vinum Investments Limited are happy to advise investors wishing to dispose of wine personally. We can provide valuable information on the cost of using an auction house or how to approach a wine merchant.

Vinum Investments Limited would normally have sold all or part of your portfolio (as per instruction) within 10 working days. Once sold monies will normally be in your account within 10 working days. Monies in any major currency can be paid to any recognised bank account in the world.