There are lots of different reasons for wanting to collect wine and whatever yours may be we will be able to advise you of the best way to go about it. Our passion and expertise is entirely at your disposal.
We like to work closely with our customers and get a real feel for the style of wines that they like. It’s important to us that not only do they end up with a tailor-made cellar full of great wines but that the whole process is a fun one. We encourage our customers to visit the vineyards, attend tastings and dinners and generally develop their wine knowledge.
Starting a cellar
From the outset it’s important to plan ahead as having a balanced collection is crucial. For example, it’s not simply just a question of buying all the top vintages. You need a mix of styles that will provide you with wines to drink immediately as well as wines to forget about for several years. After all, it would be a great shame to drink your best wines before they are ready just because you had nothing else in the cellar.
We have tasted everything we sell, often at various stages of their evolution, so we can advise exactly what you should buy and help plan a realistic buying and drinking schedule that suits both your needs and budget. We can make it as bespoke as you want and you can be as involved as you want. As your collection grows so will your enthusiasm for the process. There is nothing more exciting than seeing all the great wines you bought years ago come to full maturity.
Investment
Like any blue chip product wine can be an attractive investment, especially as it is exempt from capital gains tax. The growth in wine investment in recent years is a direct result of the huge increase in the buying and consumption of fine wine by the Far East. Consequently, what was already a finite product has become an even scarcer one, fuelling prices dramatically. An especially important recent development has been the increased interest in the wines of Burgundy, where scarcity was already an issue. Traditionally, Bordeaux had been the core of wine investment, but as Burgundy has gradually de-mystified itself so buyers are now looking towards the Cote d’Or for potential opportunities. With our in-depth knowledge of Burgundy and our close relationships with so many of the region’s finest domaines, we are perfectly placed to help you.
We will advise you with the same passion and honesty that we would if you were buying purely for consumption and our approach is very transparent. Your money won’t be disappearing in to a vague fund that charges you commission but into specific cases of wine that can be valued and sold at any time. And, of course, we will always be delighted to buy back any wines you are ready to sell and will always offer a very competitive price.
For further information and advice please contact Sam by email on sam@flintwines.com
Provenance
Provenance is supremely important when it comes to building a cellar. There is no point in buying top wines and having wonderful storage facilities for them if they have been around the world twice before you take delivery of them. You must know where they have come from. This is even more crucial when dealing with the fragile Pinot Noirs of Burgundy. We ship our wines directly from the growers to our bonded warehouse so you can be assured of their good condition as well as their authenticity.
Storage
We offer storage facilities at London City Bond, should appropriate space be limited at home. All of our wines are stored at their Barking warehouse, whilst our customers reserves are stored separately at their Burton warehouse, Vinoteque. The wines are insured at replacement value. Each July we will send you an annual storage invoice for the previous 12 months (63pence ex vat per case of 12 per month equating to £7.56ex vat per case of 12 per year. Half cases are charged at half the price). The invoice will include a list of all the wines you have stored with us, with suggested drinking dates, should you require them.
