United States | Regional Report
1976 was the turning point for California and US wine in general. ‘The Judgement of Paris’ blind tasting on May 24th proved that France had a serious contender when top Californian Bordeaux blends were tasted against Bordeaux classed growths, and Californian Chardonnays against white Burgundy. To the surprise of many, California led on both fronts.
This was the first step that set the region in motion. In the 1990s, the first Californian ‘cult wines’ emerged – big brands that attracted collector followings. Producers such as Inglenook, Stag’s Leap, and Robert Mondavi were the pioneers, but it was Screaming Eagle that established the formula for success that many followed: tiny volumes, word-of-mouth hype, and soaring prices. Robert Parker’s appraisal and perfect scores further bolstered their image.
The global market for US wines, dominated by California but also featuring wines from Washington and Oregon, has exploded in recent years. Its share of secondary market trade has risen from 0.1% in 2010 to around 7% this year, and an increasing number of previously overlooked wineries are now showing investment-worthy returns.
Our USA Report delves into the development of its investment market, historic performance, recent expansion and key players.
Discover more about:
- History of the US wine industry
- International and domestic trade
- California’s most significant AVAs
- Napa Valley’s investment-worthy wines
Do not hesitate to get in touch and speak to one of our wine investment advisors for further information and to reserve your allocations.
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Three reasons why the Brexit deal will prevent customers from paying more for their wine.
Ever since the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, trade talks and negotiations between the two sides had been full of uncertainty, posturing and brinkmanship which at times made it feel like a deal was unobtainable. So, the news that a trade deal – now ratified by the UK Parliament - had been struck on Christmas Eve last year was met with welcome relief across all industry sectors on both sides of the Channel and especially by those looking to invest in wine.
1. The costly VI-1 import documentation for UK and EU wines is no longer going to be introduced in July as previously planned. Taking its place will be a straightforward Wine Import Certificate which asks for basic producer and product information. This means far less admin and fees for wine importers, which in turn means no extra costs will be passed on to customers.
2. Crucially, wines will not have to undergo lab assessment for the new Wine Import Certificate. Submitting wines for lab analysis would have caused backlogs of wines which would have created frustrating shipment delays.
3. While UK wine importers are going to have to get to grips with new processes and forms over the coming months, this is just part of the anticipated bedding-in period which will become second nature as time goes on and as new processes are established.
With the previous uncertainty around Brexit having disappeared with the end of the transition period and with 2021 looking to mirror previous years of healthy returns for fine wine, contact us to speak to one of our advisors about creating your portfolio to invest in wine.
