The “Frequently Asked Questions” Guide
Who are Vintage Cellar? Our Expertise & services
Vintage Cellar is a member-only trading platform to build and manage your fine wine collection assisted by our team of dedicated wine advisors. Vintage Cellar is managed and operated by WineCo Swiss SA registered under number CHE-432.554.262 with address at Boulevard des Philosophes 15, 1205 Genève, Switzerland.
What services do you provide?
- Fine Wine Sourcing: Vintage Cellar is a digital and bespoke platform that allows you build and expand your wine collection. Our relationships with the world’s most prestigious wineries provide our clients with privileged access to highly sought-after fine wines.
- Wine Storage: we secure your wines in our in-bond warehouses equipped with ideal storage conditions (temperature & humidity).
- Worldwide Shipping: we ship your wines directly to you in optimal conditions.
- Wine Trips: we organize bespoke wine trips to the most iconic vineyards in the world.
- Private Wine Tasting: we organize bespoke tastings and events according to your needs and preferences.
What is your expertise?
Our wine advisors provide you with full guidance and advises throughout your fine wine journey to acquire wines that suit your taste and profile. We enable our clients to access the most iconic wines to:
-Drink and enjoy great bottles on their special events;
-Build collections that can span several generations and become a true family heritage
-Invest in wine with a potential return, due to its financial asset substitution
How can access the App/ request my Account ?
How to create my account & become a member?
Request Your Access from Vintage Cellar website
You will receive your personal access code by email &/or WhatsApp
Need any assistance?
- Get in touch via our website live chat, WhatsApp, or email
- Request a demo for a private presentation on App features & benefits.
Is there any membership /entrance ticket to become a VC member? Any minimum amount required to acquire wines?
There’s no entrance fees to become a member of Vintage Cellar community. Eligible profiles get their access validated and issued by Vintage Cellar Admin. There is no minimum amount required to spend on the platform neither.
How do you guarantee provenance of the wines?
Provenance of wine is fully guaranteed on Vintage Cellar platform as we do buy directly either ex-property or domain, from trusted negoce or wine merchants. Certificates of origin or expertise may be assigned on specific cases and issued by independent wine experts to authenticate origin.
The buying process & profile of clientele
What is the profile of Vintage Cellar clientele?
Our services are provided to Fine Wine Lovers, Fine Wine Collectors, and Fine Wine Investors with strong expertise in serving HNWI.
Do members of the app have access to the information regarding other members?
We observe full confidentiality regarding our members and clients. We don’t share our database with any third party.
Do you sell by bottle or cases?
Our bottles stay in their original wooden case as delivered by the producer (as per our Provenance & Authenticity standards), therefore, you can purchase your wines per original packing case of 1, 3, 6 or 12 bottles.
Do you provide any assistance to client to build his cellar or acquire wines?
Our wine advisors fully assist their clients in starting, expanding their cellar as per their investment profiles and or consumption habits.
Is there a minimum order value to start building my cellar?
Client has flexibility to acquire wines from Vintage Cellar with no minimum or limit. There is no yearly membership fees required provided that prospect/client was referred by a trusted source.
Our Expertise in the Fine Wine Investment
What is Fine Wine Investment?
We perceive fine wine investment as building a legacy and asset for generations to come. Our vision, when advising clients, focuses on exceptional wine selections from the world’s best vineyards. These wines are carefully chosen for their potential to gain value over time, ensuring that your collection becomes truly exceptional.
Vintage Cellar’s wine collection comprises only great wines, guaranteeing that your sought-after selections are risk-free, sourced directly from producers, and provide an investment opportunity with potential returns.
What are the recommended investment terms/period?
Fine wine is a mid- to long-term investment, typically ranging between 3 to 5 years or longer. To benefit from a typical market cycle, we recommend a minimum investment period of 3 years.
How is the “My Vintage Cellar” portfolio value calculated?
The value of your cellar and its performance over time are calculated using Liv-ex data. Liv-ex is a transaction-based source of real-time and historic fine wine market data trusted by professional fine wine merchants. Vintage Cellar uses Liv-ex price data to value your cellar daily.
Can I resell my wines through/to Vintage Cellar?
Yes, you have full flexibility to liquidate part or all of your account. Our wine advisors assist in selling your wines to another member of the Vintage Cellar community. This process involves a management fee of 5% of the total collection value and may take time depending on market conditions, the wines, and the proposed prices.
How & where do you store my wine?
Benefit of storing in bond
Benefit of storing in bond
Our in-bond storage: a world-class facility
Your bottles are secured and fully insured in our climate-controlled bonded warehouses located in Beaune and Bordeaux [France].
Your ownership is tracked
We create a sub-account for you in our in-bound cellars (duty-free zone) located in Beaune and Bordeaux. A monthly report of your inventory is sent to you.
Fiscal Benefits of storing in bond
Tax savings: No VAT nor Excise duties apply when buying or selling wines that are stored in our bonded warehouses. You will not be subject to any taxation unless your wines are extracted from the in-bond inventory and shipped to a destination. Furthermore, VAT is payable on the initial sale price of the wine, not the current market value, which provides a financial edge. At time of withdrawal, our wine advisor submits an all-inclusive quotation for shipping fees and taxes for client validation.
Capital Gain Taxes are subject to the customer’s tax residency and should be filed (if required) by the customer himself (whenever applicable). WineCo Swiss SA through its APP “Vintage-Cellar” does not withhold any Capital Gain Tax.
Authenticity and tracking of ownership: Wines stored in bond are easier to track, boosting confidence in provenance, enabling easier liquidation, and enhancing value in the secondary market.
Secured storage: The bonded warehouses are equipped with ideal storage conditions. Temperature and humidity are controlled to ensure optimum wine storage and maturation.
What are the storage and insurance fees?
The storage & insurance of your wines will cost you an all-inclusive yearly fee of 1.5% from the total acquisition price.
How can I guarantee my ownership of acquired wines?
You will receive an invoice with your purchased wines. In addition, our state-of-the-art technology and dedicated digital tools will help you keep an eye on your collection in real-time through your VC APP and in-bound account.
Can I get photos of the wines in my cellar?
Upon request, your dedicated advisor will provide photographs of the wines in your portfolio for a fee of 10€ per case. We cannot take photographs of En Primeur as these wines are not bottled yet.
I already have an in-bound account – can I transfer my wines to VC’s in-bound account for storage?
You can transfer your wines from an in-bound warehouse to Vintage Cellar’s in-bond warehouse. This service includes an additional handling fee.
How do you insure the wines?
All wines stored at our bonded warehouse are fully insured at market value. Clients settle an annual storage fee of 1.85€ per bottle inclusive of insurance. We certify that the stock of wine premises is covered against the following perils:
– FIRE, LIGHTNING, EXPLOSION;
– TERRORISM ATTACKS (ACCORDING TO THE 1986 FRENCH LAW);
– THEFT & PHYSICAL INVENTORY DISCREPANCIES IN THE PHYSICAL COUNTS;
– WINDSTORM, HAIL AND SNOW PRESSURE;
– WATER DAMAGE, FROST, THEFT, BOTTLE BREAKAGE;
– SMOKE DAMAGE, AIRCRAFT IMPACT, VEHICLE IMPACT;
– MALICIOUS DAMAGES, RIOTS, CIVIL COMMOTION;
– NATURAL DISASTERS [as per French law of July 13, 1982].
How does the Shipment work & fees?
How does VC organize shipping of my wines?
We ship your wines with industry-leading logistics providers specialized in fine wine handling. We can deliver bottles from your portfolio to your address or any other address that wine can legally be shipped to.
DELIVERY TO A PRIVATE CELLAR / ADDRESS:
Client has full flexibility to take possession of his wines [ex-domain or ex-bonded warehouses] to secure their shipping by himself to the required destination. No fees are to be paid in that case.
Client may also require the assistance of a VC wine advisor to help him select the best shipping formula and relevant fees [regular or express courier]. Client will receive a detailed shipping quotation, including the cost of shipping and taxes, to be approved and paid before order execution.
Can I transfer/ship my wines to another in-bound warehouse?
Vintage Cellar is available to support you in all your shipment activities. We will coordinate with you to transfer your wines to your selected in-bound warehouses post-closing your account and settling all your fees. A service charge will apply.
How do I track my order?
Vintage Cellar wine advisor will inform you about your order’s shipment status at every stage to ensure the safe receipt of your valued bottles.
Delivery time & charges
Time, shipping charges, and taxes will apply according to the destination country.
Payment Methods accepted
Does Vintage Cellar charge a yearly management fee?
No, Vintage Cellar doesn’t charge any management fee to your account.
What currencies does VC accept?
Currency is Euro. Our prices are provided in Euros.
Does Vintage Cellar accept cryptocurrency?
At the moment, we do not accept cryptocurrency.
Which payment methods do you accept?
- Bank Wire Transfers
- Credit card payment Online
How can I receive my invoices/ownership certificate of wines?
You will receive your order confirmation, invoices, and receipt by email and directly on your App. This stands as an official proof of receipt.
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