Dabbling in the Fine Wine Market

Bordeaux Index specialises in trading in the fine wine end of the market, a rarified zone which few of us get a chance to explore. The nearest I have reached was a tasting of some top St Emilion Grand Cru vintages which was unforgettable (and unaffordable!)

Wine enthusiasts sometimes look a little askance at wine investors - savouring the monetary value of the wine rather than the delights of it as a drink - although there is probably an element of envy in that. I have known several customers with impressive and expensive cellars who do get at least as much pleasure from drinking the odd bottle, as they do from the investment angle (and from lovingly admiring the rows of bottles in their cellar). But lets not forget that the value of any particular bottle rests in large measure on how the wine tastes - judged by fine palates who can assess how the wine will develop in the bottle over decades. Hence Bordeaux Index will be incorporating Michael Shuster’s Wine School, which brings together these complementary aspects of the extraordinary liquids contained in fine wine bottles.

Bordeaux Index is delighted to announce that from September 2008, Michael Schuster will be moving his famous wine school to our offices in Hatton Garden. Michael has helped to design the specialist tasting facilities on the top floor of our new building, where his school will be run from….. .Bordeaux Index prides itself on an unstuffy approach to fine wine selection and investment, demystifying the wine buying process for its clients and continuing to deliver expert advice in a straightforward way.

Michael Shuster’s book Essential Winetasting: The Complete Practical Winetasting Course (Mitchell Beazley Drink)is based on his courses, won all three major British wine book awards for the Best Drink Book 2000: The Andre Simon, Glenfiddich and the Prix du Champagne Lanson awards.

For more information on Bordeaux Index and Michael Shusters Wine School - see www.bordeauxindex.com

Just to put things into context, here’s a few facts and figues from Bordeaux Index:-

Our most popular wine for investment in 2008: Mouton Rothschild 1982 (£11,000 per case of 12 in bond)

Our most expensive bottle of wine: 1990 La Romanée-Conti - DRC; £8,000,in bond

Our most expensive bottle of champagne: 1995 Krug Clos D’Ambonnay -£1,995, in bond

The wine region to watch in 2008: Champagne

Busiest time of year for wine market: Spring/Autumn

Biggest annual spend for a client: £2million plus

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