Letter January 9

Published: 12 January, 2009

There's a silver lining to every cloud, or so the saying goes. This new year, in my opinion, is going to be a fantastic year for those with burnt thumbs from unfriendly, 'human driven' and down trodden stocks and shares to diversify their investment portfolios (i.e. spread their risk) and stick some of their hard earned money into one of the oldest investment asset classes - fine wine.

The issue is that people are not only scared, but misinformed and confused.

Fine wine is one of the most stable and realizable forms of alternative investment, alongside the likes of stamps, whiskey and vintage cars. Historically Fine wine has been the last investment to fall, and the first to recover. I believe that prices have now bottomed out - last year effected everyone and everything.

Early indications, however, are showing that now is the best buying opportunity since the last drop in 1997. The key for those looking for the first time to un-cork profits through wine is to be led by those in the know.

There are numerous cowboys out there www.investdrinks.org is a industry website which houses reputable specialists that may help, otherwise clarity can be obtained in a few minutes over the phone with the likes of ourselves.

With oil sitting at 50% of its mid-2008 price and a true lack of belief that the dark days of stock market decline are over (the Brown / Darling force talk of a second capital injection into our economy as this goes to press) perhaps those looking for a reliable return on investment should look at wine this year...after all it's an opportunity to get pleasure as well as profit from owning some of the most exclusive wines in the world, turn your passion into money to reinvest or simply drink the profits.

Stacey Lea Golding, investment director, Premier Cru Fine Wine Investment Ltd, Edgware, Middlesex

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