Monday, September 29, 2014

Bordeaux 2014 Harvest

Last week the Bordeaux harvest  began for the 2014 vintage, and hopes are high, thanks to some beautiful weather in the region.

Typically it is the Merlot grapes that are picked before the Cabernet Sauvignon, making the Right Bank busier in the opening week of the Bordeaux red harvest. We are already getting reports from Pavie and Angelus and the signs are good so far, great news for Bordeaux.

After the woes of 2013 Bordeaux desperately needs a good vintage with quantities able to support the global demand for the world's most famous wines.

The risk is to wait and wait until the grapes are at their ripest, without the weather turning and rot setting in. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, rot set in early, due to poor weather conditions, so chateaux had to pick earlier than they'd like. If the next fortnight remains fair, the harvesting can take place a little later than the previous three vintages and the fruit should be riper, hence the wines should be more structured, brighter and less vegetative and green.

Capital Vintners will track the progress of the Bordeaux 2014 harvest as we enter October.




Friday, September 19, 2014

Is It Possible You Have a Fortune In Your Cellar, But You Just Don’t Know It Yet?

Many people decide to collect fine wine as a hobby more than to make an investment; but what if this hobby became a very smart way of making quick legitimate easy money? Well it could well do, in fact there are many prestigious people doing just this.

So if you have fine wine in your cellar not doing anything, why not get a value for it? It might be something that was passed down through generations, this might not make the idea of selling it very appealing, but after its valuation perhaps the appeal would become maximised? You might be surprised; you might be literally sitting on a small fortune…



So who invests and why?

Generally it used to be only what is known as “hobby investors” that would decide to invest in fine wine, this way they’re buying something that, if it does not turn out to be successful, then they still have a collectable that holds its sentimental value no matter the worth.

However, this is all changing now, as fine wine is turning out to be more and more popular and the success rate in a fine wine investment is improving rapidly. Therefore, it might be well worth investing yourself if you’re looking for a way to make some money?

America

Some of America’s most affluent investors are now taking up fine wine investments, in fact they are even called wine brokers; a more appropriate title for an ever-increasing successful investment. And the same applies for them, if the fine wine doesn’t rise in value straight away, at some point it will; so therefore, investors are able to wait it out, and in the meantime the fine wine becomes something of a trademark of theirs.

Trademark

What is meant by ‘trademark’ is that it these investors are able to add the fine wine to their portfolio in an effort to showcase their works and really create a unique selling point. Having investments that are considered as “hobby investments” can prove to be a real advantage when making a portfolio. You, as an investor, will come across as incredibly diverse, original, and a breath of fresh air in the investing business, in fact up to 8% of investors include a hobby investment in their portfolio. This will mean you’ll be much more approachable for other investors in the near future.

This is yet another reason why fine wine sells too; it has a distinct diversification and because of that it becomes some-what desirable for many people.



What it can mean for you…

As noted above, you can tell that from this “hobby investment” you may only gain a collectable, and yes, you may only have something that is being passed down through generations, but that isn’t a very bad worst case scenario.

Furthermore, fine wine is increasing in value all the time and is becoming more and more successful each and every day. Consequently, this means you will most likely be getting much more than just a collectable, you’re more likely to be gaining something of great value.

Perhaps you already have this in your cellar? In that case it would be a complete waste to not at least obtain a value for your fine wine. Any wine broker would be incredibly jealous of you if you do have this just waiting to be valued, so make the most of it!