Common questions, considered answers.

Cellar Advisor is a bespoke fine wine portfolio management enitiy. We advise private investors, family offices, and collectors on building, managing, and realising fine wine as an alternative asset class.

Our services include portfolio strategy, trade-only sourcing, bonded storage, regular market reporting, and portfolio review. We act as your adviser, not as a broker earning commission on sales.

Cellar Advisor offers three core services. Our Portfolio Management service provides fully managed fine wine investment, tailored to each client's individual financial situation with no minimum investment requirement. Our Bespoke Sourcing service offers a personalised acquisition service for specific bottles, vintages and allocations, again with no minimum. Finally, our Selling and Liquidity service facilitates secondary market sales via Liv-ex, private placement or auction. All three services are available to private clients in the UK and internationally.

Cellar Advisor does not charge management fees. As a trade connected advisory and brokerage service, we are able to source wines at trade prices and pass those low acquisition costs directly on to our clients. There are no ongoing annual fees, no performance fees and no custody charges.

Our Bespoke Sourcing service is available to any client, regardless of whether you hold a portfolio with us. Simply share your requirements including producer, vintage, format and timeline and we will come back to you with availability and pricing within 24 hours.

There is no minimum investment requirement at Cellar Advisor. Our Portfolio Management service is built around each client's individual financial situation, allowing us to curate a portfolio that is right for you regardless of where you are starting from

Yes. We can value your existing cellar, arrange transfer to bonded storage under your name, incorporate it into a managed portfolio, or handle the sale of individual bottles or the entire collection. Contact us with an inventory and we will advise on the best approach.

Yes. We serve private clients globally, Our UAE office serves the GCC and wider Middle East. Storage remains at LCB Eton Park in the UK for optimal provenance and liquidity, but delivery and transaction support is available internationally.

We source via three primary channels: the Liv-Ex exchange (for investment-grade wines with active bids and offers), our négociant and producer relationships (for en primeur allocations and direct releases), and our private network of UK and international collectors (for rare back vintages and large formats). All provenance is verified before purchase.

Yes. Our Bespoke Sourcing service is specifically designed for clients who want a particular wine — a birth-year vintage, an anniversary bottle, a specific producer, or a gift presentation with original wooden case and certificate of provenance. Submit a brief and we will respond within 24 hours.

Fine wine investment is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means investors do not benefit from the protections afforded by regulated investment products, such as FSCS compensation.

We are transparent about this and believe it is important that clients understand it before investing. The unregulated nature of the asset class is one reason why working with an established, reputable adviser with verifiable track records and trade relationships matters.

The Liv-Ex 100 has returned approximately 87% over the decade to December 2024, compared to approximately 112% for the FTSE 100 total return index. On an absolute return basis, equities have outperformed.

The case for fine wine is not about replacing equities — it is about diversification. The 12-month rolling correlation between the Liv-Ex 100 and the FTSE 100 has averaged approximately 0.12 over that period. During the 2020 market crash, the FTSE 100 fell 32% while the Liv-Ex 100 fell 3.5%.

Fine wine has delivered average annual returns of 10–15% over the past two decades according to the Liv-Ex Fine Wine 1000 index, outperforming many traditional asset classes over the same period. However, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Fine wine is an illiquid, unregulated alternative asset class and is best viewed as part of a diversified portfolio with a minimum five-year time horizon.

There is no minimum investment requirement at Cellar Advisor. Our Portfolio Management service is built around each client's individual financial situation, allowing us to curate a portfolio that is right for you regardless of where you are starting from. Equally, our Bespoke Sourcing service carries no minimum, meaning we are able to conduct a search for anything from a single bottle upwards.

A well-constructed portfolio typically includes Bordeaux (First Growths and classified châteaux for liquidity), Burgundy (Premier and Grand Cru for appreciation potential), Champagne (prestige cuvées for stability), and Italian wines (Barolo, Barbaresco, Super-Tuscans for diversification).

The precise allocation depends on your timeline, objectives, and risk profile. Cellar Advisor tailors every portfolio individually.

Our typical growth-focused portfolio allocates approximately 35% to Bordeaux First Growths and Super Seconds, 25% to Burgundy Grand and Premier Cru, 15% to Champagne Tête de Cuvée, 12% to Italian fine wine (Super Tuscans, Barolo), and 13% to Rhône and selected New World. The exact allocation is calibrated to each client's time horizon and risk appetite.

Investment grade fine wine, including first growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy, trades regularly on the Liv-ex exchange with competitive bid and offer spreads. For mainstream investment wines, Cellar Advisor is typically able to achieve prompt settlement following a sell instruction, though rarer or more specialist bottles may require additional time to place with the right buyer.

Fine wine offers lower correlation to equity and bond markets than most alternative assets, making it an effective portfolio diversifier. Unlike art or classic cars, investment-grade wine trades on an established exchange (Liv-Ex) with transparent pricing. It has the added benefit of being a consumable asset — bottles can be enjoyed if the investment case changes.

Storage at LCB Eton Park is charged per case per year. Current rates are available on request and are competitive with the market. The cost is typically in the range of £12–£18 per case per year depending on format.

We pass storage costs through at cost — we do not mark up storage charges.

There are no hidden costs at Cellar Advisor. We are fully transparent about all costs before you invest. The main costs associated with fine wine investment are the acquisition cost of the wine itself, annual storage at LCB Eton Park, and duty and VAT applicable when wine is released for consumption. Beyond that, there are no management fees, no performance fees, no account fees.

Clients transferring existing portfolios from external merchants or storage facilities benefit from our complete advisory and records service, with no portfolio management fees and selling fees of 2% for reinvestment and 7% for full liquidation, both inclusive of valuation, pricing strategy, buyer outreach, negotiation, settlement, and any LCB movements.

No. Our 2% commission applies to all sales regardless of size. There is no minimum transaction value and no minimum lot size.

2% of the realised sale price. There are no listing fees, no minimum commission, and no other charges. The client receives 98% of the net sale proceeds.

Wasting assets are defined by HMRC as assets with a predictable useful life not exceeding 50 years and are generally exempt from Capital Gains Tax in the UK. Most wines qualify as wasting assets given their tendency to deteriorate over time, which can make fine wine an attractive proposition from a tax efficiency perspective. That said, this is a complex area and individual circumstances will vary. Cellar Advisor strongly recommends seeking independent tax advice before making any investment decision

Wine purchased and held in HMRC-approved bonded storage (under duty suspension) is free of VAT and duty until removed from bond. If wine is removed from bond for consumption or personal delivery, VAT and excise duty become payable at the prevailing rate. Cellar Advisor holds all client wine in bond at LCB Eton Park, so no VAT or duty is due while wine remains in storage.

Fine wine is not a regulated investment product under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Cellar Advisor is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means that the protections available to regulated investment clients — including access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and the Financial Ombudsman Service — do not apply to fine wine investments.

The treatment of fine wine for income tax, capital gains tax, and inheritance tax purposes depends on individual circumstances, the nature of your collection, and how it is held. Cellar Advisor does not provide tax advice. We recommend consulting a qualified UK tax adviser, particularly if you hold a significant collection or are a non-UK domiciled individual.

All wine placed by Cellar Advisor is held in your own named account at LCB Eton Park, one of the UK's premier bonded warehouses in London. Your wine is not pooled with other clients' holdings — it is held separately under your name.

LCB Eton Park is climate-controlled to 12°C year-round, fully insured, and accessible for client visits by appointment.

Bonded storage means your wine is held in a HMRC-approved warehouse outside UK duty and VAT. You only pay duty and VAT if the wine is removed for consumption in the UK.

For investment-grade wine, this matters for two reasons: it preserves unbroken provenance (the wine has never left bond), which protects resale value; and it avoids a significant upfront duty cost on wine you may never consume in the UK.

Yes. Wine is held in a bonded account under the client's own name at LCB Eton Park. Cellar Advisor has no ownership interest in the wine. The client retains 100% legal ownership of every bottle at all times.

Bonded storage means wine is held in an HMRC-approved warehouse under duty suspension, VAT and excise duty are deferred until the wine is removed from bond. This is the standard arrangement for investment-grade fine wine in the UK. It reduces carrying costs and provides the unbroken storage provenance that buyers require on the secondary market.

Yes. Wine can be removed from bond and delivered to your address at any time. Duty and VAT become payable on removal. Cellar Advisor can arrange insured UK delivery or international freight. Note that once removed from bond, the wine loses its unbroken bonded provenance, which may affect resale value.

All wine held at LCB Eton Park is covered by the facility's comprehensive all-risks insurance policy, which covers loss, damage, and theft. The insurance value is based on current market value. Cellar Advisor can provide details of the policy on request.

The first step is a free consultation with one of our advisors. We will discuss your investment objectives, your existing portfolio, and whether fine wine is an appropriate fit. There is no obligation.

You can book a consultation via our contact form or by calling our London office on +44 (0)20 3576 5592.

The first step is a free initial consultation with a named portfolio manager. We will discuss your goals, investment horizon, risk appetite, and whether fine wine is appropriate for your overall financial situation. There is no obligation and no commitment until you decide to proceed. Contact us via the website or call our London office.

From initial consultation to first purchase is typically 2–4 weeks. This includes an introductory call, reviewing your investment brief, agreeing a portfolio strategy, and completing the necessary account documentation.

Once your account is open, we can move quickly when the right wine is available.

After an initial consultation, we carry out standard KYC (Know Your Customer) checks as required under UK anti-money laundering regulations. We then prepare a personalised portfolio proposal for your review. Once approved, we open a bonded storage account at LCB Eton Park in your name and begin sourcing your first acquisitions. The full process typically takes 5–10 business days.

Yes. Clients sign a Portfolio Management Agreement setting out the scope of our advisory mandate, our fee structure, and the terms governing purchases and sales made on your behalf. The agreement is reviewed with you before signing and you retain the right to terminate at any time.

Portfolio Management clients receive formal quarterly performance reports benchmarked against the Liv-Ex Fine Wine 1000 index. These include a full inventory, current market valuations, realised gains and losses, and an outlook note from your portfolio manager. Ad hoc reports and valuations can be requested at any time.

Yes. Every client is assigned a named portfolio manager who is their single point of contact for all matters, from acquisitions, sales, storage, and reporting. This relationship is central to how Cellar Advisor operates.