Alternative Assets
FOR COLLECTORS & INVESTORS
Fine Vintage was established in 1995. Since then many of our clients have requested advice and assistance on building wine collections, be it for investment purposes or personal consumption.
We offer a unique service for collectors and investors. We are the only company whose Portfolio Advisors are all prominent Masters of Wine. Each Advisor is one of the world’s leading authorities on a blue-chip region – Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Unlike any other company, our Portfolio Advisors are simply paid for their time to advise you. They have no vested financial interest in your decision-making.
Fine Vintage is privileged to be one of a small number of wine companies with approval to trade on the stock market for fine wine, Liv-Ex. This enables us to buy wines at the lowest price in the global market and have access to a vast selection. Our unique model can allow you to avoid the mark-ups you would normally pay to importers and retailers in your own country.
Most importantly, we charge the lowest commissions of any major trading house at 7.75%. We are a full-service boutique company offering a personalized service. We organize the storage, insurance, and shipping of your collection. For investors, we also manage the re-selling of your portfolio.
All collectors and investors are welcome to open accounts with us. We work with private individuals, alternative asset managers and family offices.
We welcome you to contact us.
James Cluer, Master of Wine
Meet YourPortfolio Advisors
Select the Master of Wine of your choice to discuss your investment needs.
T.L.C.
A message from James Cluer MW, owner
I can't guarantee you that your wine investment will go up. Nobody can. But we wouldn't offer a Wine Investment Advisory service if we didn't have the expertise to do so. Otherwise, it would be a disservice to our clients and bad for our reputation.
The fine wine market is tracked on an index called the Liv-Ex 100, comprised of the 100 top wines in the world. Liv-Ex is the wine equivalent to the S&P stock market index. Fine wines are bought and sold by a select number of companies who are authorized to trade on it. Fine Vintage has approval to trade on the Liv-Ex platform. We also purchase for our clients at auction, and directly from chateaux and negociants.
Wine is an alternative asset that can potentially reap significant gains. It is also a hard asset that can be enjoyed by the collector. Like all investments, there are risks and rewards. You can learn more about wine as an investment when you speak to the Master of Wine you choose as your Advisor. We will provide you with historical market reports and our own insights.
We welcome all wine lovers to build collections and invest in fine wine using our advisory services. We do suggest a minimum investment of $15,000 USD in order to acquire a reasonable volume of wine and maximize the benefits of our service. That said, Fine Vintage primarily works with the finance industry, notably alternative asset managers and family offices.
We welcome you to contact us.
James Cluer MW
Core Values
At Fine Vintage we operate with you and for you, following these 3 core values:
Transparency on Fees
Our Portfolio Managers have no vested interest in whether you buy or not. They are only paid for their time to advise you.
Fine Vintage adds a 7.75% commission to the lowest prices we can find in the market for buying wines. This is the lowest rate of the major trading Houses. We ensure full clarity on all costs, with no hidden fees or commissions.
We also assist clients when they want to sell all or part of their collection. Fees are 7.75% on all sales, the lowest in the industry.
Portfolio Liquidity
We are able to assist you not only for buying wine but also if you wish to re-sell all or part of your portfolio.
Fine Vintage has special access to a trading platform that is only available to certain companies in the wine industry. Our membership to Liv-Ex, the equivalent of the stock market exchange for fine wine, gives us immediate access to a large and active network of buyers and sellers.
We provide our clients with visibility into this data so you can see the BUY / SELL offers, and track price movements and market trends.
Complete Control
Our clients have total control over their portfolio, able to buy and sell at will.
Your wine is stored in the world's #1 fine wine warehouse in England, London City Bond, where it is held in-bond (no taxes paid) in ideal cellaring conditions.
You can visit and inspect your wine. We can assist you with storage, shipping, insurance and re-selling.
How It Works5 Easy Steps
Schedule your 1st Consultation
The first step is to select the Master of Wine of your choice. Charles Curtis is a specialist in Champagne and Burgundy, Colin Gent is an expert on Bordeaux and Port, and Rod Smith has in-depth knowledge of Bordeaux and the Rhone. The Advisors meet together regularly and share information and reports. You then book a 1-hour Zoom consultation with your selected Advisor. This is the first of two zoom sessions you will have with them. The fee is $1,000 USD.
Important: Consultation fees are refunded for investments over $100,000 USD
1st Consultation - Discuss Your Goals
During your first consultation with your Master of Wine you can explain your goals, your interests in specific wines or regions, and your budget. Your Portfolio Advisor will listen, advise, and provide you with our latest market insights. You can ask any questions about storage, insurance, logistics, and reselling. After the Zoom, your Master of Wine will email you a suggested portfolio of wines, with specific Chateaux, Domaines, and Houses, along with recommended vintages, volumes, sources, and total spend.
2nd Consultation – Discuss the Recommended Portfolio
After you have received and digested your personalized purchasing strategy, you can schedule a second Zoom to discuss it with your Portfolio Advisor, using the online calendar. This second meeting is your opportunity to ask more detailed questions about the wines, volumes, sources, prices, and more. We stress that your Portfolio Advisor has no vested financial interest in whether you purchase any wine or not. They are simply compensated for their time to advise you.
Important: There is no obligation to buy any wine or follow the Portfolio Advisor's recommendations.
Decide if you will purchase
You decide if, when, and what you want to purchase. If you want to place an order, you will contact James Cluer MW by email with your request. We welcome you to request a Zoom meeting with Mr. Cluer. At Fine Vintage we like to know our clients personally and have systems of checks and balances. We will then immediately check there is still availability of the wines and then send you an invoice. We add a 7.75% margin to each wine, the lowest in the industry. After receiving your payment, we immediately purchase the wines from the supplier.
Finalize the Transaction
All wines are then shipped to London City Bond (LCB) in England. This is the world’s premier fine wine warehouse. Your wines will be inspected by Liv-Ex to ensure their authenticity and check their condition. Once the wines pass the rigorous inspection, we finalize the transaction with Liv-Ex. Your wines are now stored at London City Bond in England, where you can go and inspect them by appointment. From here on, if you are a PLATINUM member (over $100,000 invested), you can contact your Portfolio Advisor on demand and will receive quarterly market reports and valuations. If you are a GOLD member, you can schedule a zoom meeting on-demand for $500 USD. We recommend a minimum investment of $15,000 in order to acquire a reasonable volume of wine and maximize the benefits of our service.