Build Your Collection With Confidence




Ask Questions
If you are buying wine outside of your trusted sources, do some research on the reputation of the seller. Online sellers may not post clear pictures of the bottle. Contact them and ask for better images and provenance.

House Rules
If you are buying from an auction house or reseller, read the fine print about their terms and conditions such as guarantee of authenticity and return/refund policies.

Records
Your purchase receipts are valuable and provide provenance for your collection.

Passion Aside
Most collectors say they have an emotional connection to their wine. So it is not surprising that the investment world refers to wine as a “passion asset”.  But approach collecting rationally and with caution. Counterfeit or bottles in poor condition can signficantly reduce the value of your portfolio.

Burden of Proof
Today, there is so much wine that is traded on the gray or secondary markets through auction houses and resellers. These are great sources to find rare or sought-after bottles. Generally, though, the purchaser assumes the burden of determining a wine’s condition and authenticity.
Poor Storage
Don’t pay for bad storage. You can often assess conditions from a physical examination of bottles stored at the location. An expert can help you determine whether the bottles exhibit signs of poor storage.

Counterfeit Wine
Before investing in a bottle that you’ve been coveting, take some time to ask questions about the seller’s history and the wine’s provenance. Does the seller have a story to tell? Does the bottle have a story to tell? You can better interpret that story via a physical inspection by an experienced authenticator.