What is Fine Wine?

What makes a fine wine, why is fine wine a great investment, and when is the optimum time to drink fine wine?

Defining Fine Wine:

A quick glance on a search engine for “fine wine” will result in a whole range of different definitions and a plethora of articles each trying to pinpoint the various elements of what constitutes fine wine. So with this in mind, this article will attempt to simplify and summarise some of the key messages and terms. In general, the components that make up a fine wine are entrenched in where the wine was produced, which grapes were used to produce it, which winemarker(s) were involved in creating it, and what reputation it has developed. Then additional components of collectability, price, ageability and uniqueness all act as factors in defining fine wine. Fine wines can come from the most traditional and historic estates but also from new vineyards applying the latest technologies to enhance and improve the growing and winemaking processes.  

Fine wine as an investment:

Following on from the elements that make up what constitutes a fine wine, we can also look at why fine wine is so desirable as an investment opportunity. With all the ongoing uncertainty effecting traditional areas of investment, fine wine continues to stand out as a stable, secure, and profitable area to invest. As the supply of a particular fine wine diminishes over time, the demand and collectability increases. In fact, over the last 40 years fine wine has consistently delivered annual returns of over 10% for those with investment portfolios. Cru Wine’s own strategy has always been to ensure each investor has a well-balanced collection, in order to minimise any risks and strengthen the long-term profitability of each account. In addition, Cru Wine’s focus is not only to source wines from wineries with certain vintages and limited releases (of which only a few hundred cases can be released of a particular year and accrue significant price tags for their uniqueness), but we also look to source great fine wines for less, while still offering great returns. 

Fine wine to drink:

The best part of collecting fine wine of course is getting to drink it, but questions on when to drink it can be tricky to answer. At Cru Wine we ensure that fine wines are keep at the optimum conditions, in well-regulated and temperature-controlled warehouses. This of course ensures that the unique flavours and profiles of the wines are left to mature and concentrate even further in the bottle. Fine wines can be left to age for years, with some reaching peak maturity at least 10 years after bottling and others even ageing for over 25 years. Cru Wine’s team of experts are always on hand to recommend and assist in getting these timings just right, so the wines can be enjoyed at their very best.