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properly and have provenance which is extremely important when the time comes to put it back on the secondary market. The principles on which this market is based seem solid and in a way have been tried and tested over several centuries. The best wines have shown consistent growth patterns and now compete with traditional equity-related investments and commodities. Though very different products indeed, the principles that govern success when investing in commodities are still the same: short and nite supply battling against an ever-increasing demand. This is a 200-yearold market and looks to be gaining more and more supporters as it returns more and more prots to those that showed faith in the grapes. What led you to get involved in the wine industry in the rst place? My father collected wine so I have always been aware of the joys of wine and especially the quality of Bordeaux wine, particularly the 82s as he was a huge admirer of the clarets from that vintage. With regard to ne wine investments, it was a market I had heard of on a social basis and had always been a little curious about, so when an old friend approached me about the idea of starting my own cellar for drinking purposes, like any shrewd businessperson I decided to do a little research. I analysed three decades of market trends and price shifts looking for more information and advice and I realised there was a gap in the market as advice was hard to come by, or at least advice one could comprehend! Although experienced investors were already doing this, the masses were not aware of this market at all. Hence the idea to bring it to the forefront was conceived. How has the market changed from when you rst started? My rst involvement in the ne wine market was in 1999 and it was a real revelation; I couldnt believe investors and particularly institutions had not seen the potential in this market. We were offering a nite commodity of limited production and high demand. All the market forces were in favour of an upward trend; more millionaires and billionaires being created and therefore more buyers coming into the market, restricted production meaning limited quantity, a more and more stringent selection process by the chateaux allowing for lower production but better-quality wines, all of which would put an upward pressure on prices. We were selling the product with a much larger mark-up back then because we were a proactive advisory company with valued service add-ons usually only found in the traditional investment markets. It cost a lot more money back then to get new clients or speculators (as they called them at the time) to become involved. Today we dont have the uphill task of persuading customers to trust this market but we do have a lot more competition which means our mark-ups had to come down somewhat in order to be competitive. The services we offer today are, however, considerably more comprehensive so we are still different from the merchants who now also offer advisory. Which wines are the best to bed down for investment? The best wines for bedding down for investment are the same as they have always been, the rst growths, the likes of LateRothschild, Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux and Haut-Brion. There are of course other classied wines from the lower growths and other appellations that are IGWs (investment grade wines) such as Le Pin, Petrus, Cheval Blanc and Carruades de Late, but, more importantly, sometimes the vintages can be the make or break factor. Which Bordeaux vintages would you consider to be the best? 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1998 (right bank), 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010 (en primeur) but the 1982 is by far the best of the lot. It will be a long time before we see a vintage like that again, although we have come close with the 2000 and 2005! Are there other wines you would recommend for investment outside of the renowned French regions? Though we only recommend Bordeaux, there are a few regions outside of France that are maybe worth considering. From the Californian greats of Dominus, Opus One and Screaming Eagle to Australias Penfolds Grange, Henschkes Hill of Grace, Torbrecks Run Rig, Two Hands Ares and a few others. There are also a few from Italy such as Gaja, Sassicaia, Tignanello and Vegas Sicilia from Spain. How can a potential investor begin a portfolio? For a novice investor we always recommend doing a little of your own research on the market so you understand the basic principles. Bordeaux Wine Company have been dealing in ne wine for ten years but have been offering en primeur for just over seven years, so our clients are happy to buy en primeur from us and wait the two to three years it takes to be bottled and delivered. It is imperative you only deal through an agent or merchant with a proven track record
LIQUID ASSETS
Freddie Achom
Top: A case of Late 96, Vintage barrels Right: Grand Vin De Chateau Latour 1983
blue chip Bordeaux or rst growths as they are called are the dominant force when seeking wines that can accrue value over time; they now account for over sixty percent of wine auction sales worldwide. With the emergence of the Far East and South America as major forces in the ne wine market and little or no real knowledge of wine, the need for advisory is today even more apparent. Wine advisors like Achom with their vast knowledge of wine and the nancial benets and principles are more in
demand than they have ever been. Today, Achom is the founder and chairman of the offshore-based Rosemont Group who, among its portfolio of companies, own the majority stake in the London-based wine advisory rm Bordeaux Wine Company in partnership with wine enthusiast Anthony Grant. Grant feels they have been vindicated by the performance of the market over the past decade. He says he feels proud to have stuck at it for so long and has been able to see the market ourish as he always thought it could: I always knew it would come good, he exclaims, the fundamental principles of this market are clear for all to see and people have nally woken up and realised that wine is just as viable as any other commodity if not more. Prior to the past decade the ne wine market has been a patient mans market and although the likes of Achom and Grant speak of huge returns in the last few years, it is still very much advised to look at this with a medium to long term perspective and abiding by a few basic rules should steer you clear of any potholes. Carolyn Holmes, senior wine specialist at Christies of London believes any wine you buy for investment needs a good reputation and long track record of success, while Enzo Giannotta, MD at Cult & Boutique Wines, who specialise in new and old-world wines advises to take advice from those in the industry but make sure you stick to blue chip wines, the rst growths, as they are consistent and proven; buy early, preferably en primeur (wines still in the barrel) but only from established merchants. Last but not least, store the wines in bond so they mature