How to Store Your Wine Collection

HOW TO STORE YOUR WINE COLLECTION

by Christie’s International Real Estate

Storing a wine collection away from home can be a smart decision for wine connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike. Valuable bottles, whether for saving or selling, will benefit from the expertise and controlled conditions at a professional storage facility. Homeowners with a small cellar, or no cellar at all, can still buy age-worthy wine— lots of it. And frequent travelers will rest easy knowing their precious collection is in safe hands. With many of these facilities also offering concierge services such as appraisals and inventory management, it’s easier than ever to wait for your wines to reach their full potential.

No.1 - SEEK OUT STATE-OF- THE-ART SECURITY

“The primary benefit of off-site wine storage is security,” says Scott Torrence, Senior Wine Specialist and Vice President, Americas, at Christie’s Wine & Spirits Department. “Your home may be a secure place to store your collection, but this is about professional security: the consistency of temperature control, the single location, protection from earthquakes and other catastrophes.”

“There’s also the ability to scale up as your collection grows,” Torrence says, unlike home cellars that may face space limitations.

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No.2 - ASK ABOUT BOTTLE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT

There are other benefits to off-site storage solutions. For example, wine purchases— small-scale or large-scale—can often be shipped directly to the cellar, where staff will check the condition of the wine and unpack it. “If there’s a discrepancy in the shipment, they’ll tell you straightaway,” Torrence says.

When potential buyers see that a wine comes from a wine storage facility, it gives them confidence that it was stored correctly

Tom Lester, manager at Chelsea Wine Storage, the only wine storage center in Manhattan, regularly receives shipments for his clients, some of whom live or work within a few blocks of the facility underneath the historic Chelsea Market. The 10,000-square-foot cellar opened in 1997 and quickly found loyal clientele who don’t have space in their own homes or time to manage their collections.

Wines are all inventoried when they arrive, and Chelsea Wine Storage’s software allows clients to log in and check their wines whenever they like. Clients can pick up their bottles during business hours, or arrange to ship them to their home or another property at their convenience. The entire facility is humidity and temperature controlled (to 53°F/12°C), so wines stay at peak condition.

Your home may be a secure place to store your wine collection, but this is about professional security

At Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong, the storage facility benefits from its historic location. Declared a UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Site in 2007, the Hong Kong Island site was originally a weapons storage facility for the British Military during World War II—constructed around 80 years ago. Eight bunkers have been transformed into a members club and wine storage facility that is temperature controlled—helped no doubt by the three-foot-thick concrete walls—and spared from light and vibration at more than 60 feet underground.

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No.3 - DON’T FORGET THE MEM- BERS-ONLY PERKS

For some collectors, the benefits of being part of an exclusive club can also be a draw. Clients of Crown Wine Cellars have access to the only underground private members club in Hong Kong, and can arrange home delivery and on-site wine tastings.

The Millecento Wine Club cellar at Castiglion del Bosco, a wine estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, is described by club manager Carolina Bracalente as “a home-away-fromhome private cellar, offering the possibility to safely store and age wine bottles properly, under perfect conditions.”

Members of The Millecento Wine Club have access to special members-only dinners and events, and the plush setting—adjacent to the estate’s own winery—is more akin to a private club than a storage facility. Each member has their own temperature-controlled locker, and while they can of course enjoy their favorite vintages during their stays at the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, founded by Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo, they can also arrange to ship wines home.

At 67 Pall Mall in the heart of London’s St James’s neighborhood, serious wine aficionados are the top priority. Inside this elegant Edward Lutyens-designed former bank are several rooms for tasting and storing rare and fine wines. In addition to having the option to store their own bottles in one of London’s most secure wine storage facilities, clients also benefit from access to regular events and tastings, and the opportunity to enjoy special wines from the club’s own collection (hundreds upon hundreds are available by the glass).

No.4 - PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

Part of the appeal of professional storage is that secure cellaring can help to maintain a bottle’s value—or even increase its worth. “If you sell your wine at auction, people can see it comes from a wine storage facility, and that gives them the confidence that it was stored correctly,” Lester says. “They’ll be getting what they expect.”

Some professional cellars even offer authentication or brokering services. “Because storage facility workers know your inventory,” Torrence adds, “they may also be able to offer secondary market pricing services, to help your wine find a buyer.”

Of course, off-site wine storage can be practical for other reasons. “It’s about keeping your hands off the stuff so it can actually mature,” Torrence says with a laugh.

Presented by Kelly Boudreau & Associates