How Do I Sell an Expensive Bottle of Wine?
It's important to approach the process with care and attention to detail
08/08/2024
From Latour to Grand Cru and Mouton-Rothschild, when it comes to selling an expensive bottle of wine, it's important to approach the process with care and attention to detail. Whether you want to sell a single bottle or an entire collection, the process is not as simple as advertising on Facebook Marketplace or listing on eBay. Not only are there legal and practical ramifications, but you would also be unlikely to achieve the true potential value of your premium wine.
Factors that will determine the value of a bottle of wine are the history and reputation of the winery, classification, vintage quality, production quantity, rarity, techniques employed, packaging, tasting reviews, aging potential and whether it was bought en primeur (in the barrel).
A bottle of Domaine d'Auvenay Bonnes-Mares 1993 Grand Cru
When selling wine, you will need to provide detailed information about the wine's vintage, winery, grape variety, and region of origin. Specifics regarding how the wine has been stored, the condition, and any documentation that can verify the wine's provenance, such as receipts, certificates of authenticity, or tamper-evident seals will provide reassurance to serious collectors who will be wary of unknown vendors. You’ll also be responsible for researching pricing, highlighting your wine’s unique qualities, and finding the right buyers.
A bottle of Domaine De La Romanee Conti Richebourg, 2017
Private individuals selling any sort of liquor will need to obtain a seller’s alcohol licence and ensure that whoever they sell the wine to is of legal age, 18 years in the UK. Sellers may consider limiting their offering to collectors who are based locally to avoid having to arrange shipping and packing, this will hugely restrict the number of potential buyers and significantly affect the value.
Trading internationally considerably increases the odds of finding a suitable buyer who will be prepared to pay a higher price for a desirable bottle of wine. However, individual sellers will need to get approval from their country as well as the buyers’ country to allow the wine to pass through customs, as well as appointing a reliable premium shipping company with experience in transporting fragile bottles overseas. Further complications such as the risk of the purchaser being unhappy with their acquisition, or the possibility of breakage/damage in transit should also be noted.
A bottle of Chateau Petrus Grand Vin Pomerol, 1968
Alternatively, there are several specialised online wine marketplaces that for a fee, will list your collection, handle finances, and provide shipping. Whilst this opportunity can be straight forward and far easier than selling directly, the AI technology that facilitates your listing will do just that, and only that. There is no proactive approach to highlight the unique pedigree of any particular bottle and with this method it could take a considerable amount of time to sell.
Selling a bottle of expensive wine through a reputable auction house with an international reach, such as Dawsons, is ultimately the best way to achieve the maximum potential value. With direcr access to known buyers across the globe, our team of experts will provide advice and assistance with everything from the valuation, description, and condition to achieving the best possible price by locating the right collectors.
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