espite the media's doom and gloom about the global economy, and some very turbulent times for investors, great
money-making opportunities still exist for the shrewd investor. "A class of investment termed "alternative investments" has grown massively over the last fi ve years, meaning that investors' portfolios often include many more commodities, like precious metals, or assets such as fi ne wine. This year is an incredibly exciting time to
invest in fi ne wine, often referred to as “liquid gold”. Over the last fi ve years, it has delivered a double digit annual growth of 66 per cent. Now, in 2012, a unique set of circumstances is providing the perfect conditions to invest in an asset class which has traditionally performed well during recession and is not generally understood by the average investor. Wine follows the ‘rule of three’ that
applies to alternative investments. Firstly, it is a fi nite resource. With each Chateau
producing between 12 to 18 thousand cases per vintage, there is only a limited supply of each yield. The more a particular vintage is drunk, the more valuable the remaining cases. Secondly it is tangible. You can sleep safe in the knowledge that the wine you put in your cellar will be there in the morning, unlike some other investments. Thirdly, it diversifi es your portfolio, meaning you don't have all your eggs in one basket. You can also diversity within the wine
investment market, with a number of Chateaux, vintages and stages (en primeur or in bottle) to invest in. This diversity is rare in the investment world. Whilst gold is simply gold, and silver is simply silver, wine gives you a number of options to select. For larger investors, the Premier Cru, or First Growth wines, can cost around £10,000 per case. For those with less investment capital, Second Growth wines can be purchased for as little as £1-2000. Those are the foundations of a solid investment. What makes it a great