Alternative Outlook

High net worth individuals are opting to buy fine wine as part of an alternative investment portfolio because of a passion for Bordeaux rather than simply due to the potential financial gains.

That is according to a new reported commissioned by Barclays, in which 2,000 people worth at least £1 million each were quizzed on their alternative assets.

Entitled ‘Profit or Pleasure? Exploring the Motivations Behind Treasure Trends’, the report examined the appeal of these so-called treasure assets such as art, classic cars and fin…

Pétrus is the most reliable label for fine wine returns according to Christie’s Anthony Hanson MW. Addressing attendees of the Fine and Rare Wine Specialist course at Vienna’s Palais Coburg on 2 July, Hanson analysed the price performance of a range of collectible labels before declaring, “The king has been Pétrus”.

Continuing, he said, “It has yielded an average annual return of 14% all the way through bull and bear markets – it is incredibly dependable as a château.” He added that Pétrus has produced “so many grea…

It might be tricky, when faced with a bottle of fine wine, to do anything other than open it and pour yourself a glass. But for those who can eschew instant gratification, wine can offer a fantastic investment. Through the stock market turbulence of recent years, fine wine has become a safe haven.

Over the last five years, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100, which tracks the price of the world’s most sought-after wines, has outperformed leading benchmarks, including the FTSE 100 – rising 62% over the period, and 15% in the last two years. I…

As the best vintages outperform every asset but gold, Julian Knight goes to Bordeaux to get a taste of the business.

The two-storey country house, modest compared with the other châteaux of the area, sits proudly underneath a perfect wide blue sky, surrounded by neatly trimmed vines festooned with lush red roses which would be any horticulturalist’s dream.

I am in Bordeaux, the spiritual home not just of French but world wine making. Opposite me, examining a vine with dexterity and not a small degree of tenderness, is Oliver Be…

The impact of value and brand focused purchasing of investment wine in China has led to a price growth spurt in five First Growths – Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Mouton and Haut Brion.

Throughout the closing months of 2010 Albany Portfolio Management predicted the success of these brands after paying close attention to the performance and buying behaviours of customers in the Asia region, which differ significantly to the traditional vintage focused purchasing of the West.

The pronounced difference in price between Lafite and the other…