The concept of buying wine as an investment is a relatively new one. It used to be that some canny consumers may have funded their next wine purchase by buying two cases of the same wine – one to drink and one to sell.
However, in 1983, the American wine critic Robert Parker’s declaration of the 1982 Bordeaux vintage – ‘the greatest vintage of the 20th century’ - had a significant impact on the fine wine market, and investment in particular. Also, with the advent of his 100-point ratings scale, retailers and consumers now had a transparent yardstick that would influence not just quality, but the price; particularly in the secondary market.
Today we have a different landscape altogether. Wine investment is now considered an alternative asset, with investors building portfolios with the sole purpose of turning a profit. Technology has given us access to unlimited data on areas of production, vintages, growers and wine prices. And with Parker paving the way for many more professional wine critics, the market has opened doors for wine regions and customers all over the globe.
Simple supply and demand economics are evident in the appeal of wine investment. A vintage cannot be re-produced and as each bottle is drunk then the production is reduced; making these fine wines rarer as they mature.
If you would like to explore wine investment further, please contact us here at Seckford.
As one of the UK’s leading fine wine merchants, we have an excellent reputation for accurate, fair pricing and are renowned specialists in buying, storing, and selling fine wine.