Alternative Outlook

The Wine Investment Association was officially launched yesterday promising to set up regulations and processes that protect wine investments of private individuals.

The new self-regulatory body has been set up in response to a series of high profile wine fraud cases relating to investments in fine wine.

The WIA’s initial members hope to attract some of the biggest names in fine wine investment so that it carries the authority of the entire fine wine market. It today published its first code of practice for consultation, outlining t…

Speaking to the drinks business, one of the founding members of the Wine Investment Association, Peter Shakeshaft, founder of Vin-X, urged the trade to get behind the proposal to ensure its success.

He said that the charter was in the process of being approved by lawyers and was designed to cover the basic principals of fine wine investment to, “ensure that investors own the wine and that agreements are sacrosanct. “Then, if something does go under it doesn’t affect the ownership of the wine in the hands of the private investor.�…

It seems that the hottest topic for the media at the moment when it comes to fine wine is the issue of whether regulation is required. As we start a new financial year, many investors are being warned off wine following the recent revelation that over 50 wine investment companies have collapsed in the last four years as featured in the Sunday Times and BBC Radio 4 in recent days.

Our industry has had its reputation tarnished by a number of reckless companies who have muddied the process and not provided enough security or transparency…

April has finally arrived, and a new tax year has begun. People across the country are beginning to think about their investments and their personal finances and are considering their options. The average investor is probably looking at the books and wondering what they have to show for their investments.

The chances are the majority of people will have a 3% return on their equity investments (if they were lucky!) or their cash ISA may even have managed to beat inflation! Overall, however, people are looking for a way to make returns…

Wine could be a good investment as returns on Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) remain low.

Transferring your ISA to wine has seen returns of more than 10% a year.

Peter Shakeshaft, founder of wine investment firm Vin-X, said that they hold onto the wine for the investor to make sure “the governance of the wine is protected” as wine has to be stored in a proper place.

He said that it is a good time to buy wine, and consumers can get an “excellent return” by holding onto it for three years.

The market is impacted by demand in the …

Interview by Ben Salisbury

With many traditional forms of investment not providing high returns for investors it may be time to consider alternatives.

Investing in wine is one area that has retained double-digit growth for investors since the financial crisis but how do you enter the market, how much money do you need and how long should you invest for?

Last week, the “Parker scores” were announced, initial notes on wines by influential wine critic Robert Parker.

I spoke to Peter Shakeshaft, Founder and Director of Vin-X, Fine…

For most people, wine is a pleasant tipple that makes life that little bit more enjoyable at the end of the day. Some drinkers take it more seriously than others.

Some drink more of it than others. And a growing number of connoisseurs are buying wine not simply to drink but to make money.

The numbers speak for themselves. Over the past decade, fine wine has soared in value. A bottle of Chateau Lafite would have cost £130 in the summer of 2001.

Now it is worth almost £1,000. Chateau Latour, another famous name in wine, has …