Berry Bros' Cellar Plan

gingercordial

Another one to say that BBR is a legitimate and very well established wine merchant. Lovely old shop in Mayfair and wonderful service. If only I could afford to go in more often (when my grandfather was still alive it was an excellent place to pick up a really really good bottle of red for his Christmas present).

To be fair, the Cellar Plan pages do suggest you can do it for investment purposes either instead of or in addition to laying down for your own consumption. In either case you pay your amount per month and leave it up to them what wine you buy. I'm sure they are as good as anyone at knowing what might appreciate based on their experience in the industry, but it's always going to be complete speculation and massively risky. What you have might totally devalue, and in the meantime there's a monthly charge per case for keeping it in their special climate controlled cellars.

I can see if you're really into fine wine and have money to throw at it, it might be fun to do the dual consumption/investment plan on the basis that you'll have a good time drinking it anyway even if it doesn't appreciate. I would trust BBR (specifically) to not steal your money, to buy something decent, to keep the wine in good conditions and to have the warehouse adequately insured. But other than that as far as investments go it would be a total punt and not something I would ever consider for myself.

coyrls

Malthusian wrote: »

it is worth noting that a wine business being in business for c. 15 years is no guarantee that it is a good investment.

Partly because past performance is no guide to the future etc etc. Partly because there is no reason you can't stay in business for 15 years by selling wine for far more than it is worth, as long as you can keep finding suckers.

https://www.bbr.com/about

Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, having traded from the same shop since 1698.

Malthusian

BB&R LIMITED
Company number 05492886

Registered office address 3 St James's Street, London, SW1A 1EG Company status Active
Company type Private limited Company

Incorporated on 28 June 2005

It is of little importance how they trace their heritage back to 1698; if you were a prospective investor you would look at the actual history of the company you are investing in.

Malthusian

gingercordial wrote: »

I can see if you're really into fine wine and have money to throw at it, it might be fun to do the dual consumption/investment plan on the basis that you'll have a good time drinking it anyway even if it doesn't appreciate.

There was a scam-spotting wine blog that had a really good piece of advice: never invest more in wine than you can afford to drink.

Reaper

Malthusian wrote: »

There was a scam-spotting wine blog that had a really good piece of advice: never invest more in wine than you can afford to drink.

It was probably this one: http://investdrinks-blog.blogspot.com/
It's the key one to check before buying/investing in fine wine as it's a market awash with scammers.

It lists Berry Bros under "Some companies from whom I might buy investment grade wines/ equally might get to sell wine"

However as said above if you know nothing about wine then you should stay clear.

coyrls

Malthusian wrote: »

It is of little importance how they trace their heritage back to 1698; if you were a prospective investor you would look at the actual history of the company you are investing in.

I don't understand, are you saying there was no actual history of the company before 28 June 2005?

coyrls

If you want refer to companies house, BB&R Spirits Ltd had a previous company name of Berry Bros. & Rudd Ltd from 25 March 1943, when the company was incorporated, until 31 March 2006 and then, as you say BB&R Ltd. was incorporated on 28 June 2005.

Zanderman

thegentleway wrote: »

Does anybody invest in/recommend BBR's cellar plan?

Looking at long term investments and tempted by this. I like wine but don't know anything about fine wines apart from they seem to be doing well.

As others have said this seems to be an 'investment' in wine to drink yourself, not an 'investment' in wine to sell later.

It's not a financial investment. It's a scheme to build up a cellar of wine.

gingercordial

Malthusian wrote: »

There was a scam-spotting wine blog that had a really good piece of advice: never invest more in wine than you can afford to drink.

Indeed, which is why my "exposure" to wine is limited to whatever case of six is on offer from Majestic rather than the minimum £250/month plan at BBR. I'd like to say it's for investment, but funnily enough there's never any left at the end of the month... :beer:

[Deleted User]

I am sure they tried a commodity style market based on the Burgundy index in 1997. Can’t find anything on line, but I am sure I remembered adverts about it