Fine Wine Investing

Whether for drinking pleasure in the future or financial gain, fine wine investment merits cellaring in the very best conditions. But which wine to choose for cellaring? Now the 2009 Octavian Vaults Library Collection (OVLC) from the International Wine Challenge (IWC) has announced the results of the only competition in the world that looks at the way wines age and offers a concise opinion from some of the world’s foremost wine experts.

Focusing on the best wines five and ten years old, the 2009 OVLC reviewed 1999 and 2004 vintages. 116 wines from 11 countries were judged by a panel of the UK’s foremost wine experts, including the IWC’s resident Co-Chairmen Charles Metcalfe, Tim Atkin, Sam Harrop and Derek Smedley. Directed by this panel, the competition is backed by an advisory board of distinguished and knowledgeable experts in the fine wine trade.

With 14% of the wines scoring a remarkable 95 points or higher (out of 100), wine lovers will now be able to identify wines that have made the grade by looking for the IWC OVLC logo on the bottle, whether buying in a retail outlet or restaurant. The wines in the OVLC come from a diverse range of producers and include old and new world wines, evidence of the ageing potential of wines from all around the globe.

Charles Metcalfe, Co-Chairman of the IWC and judge for the OVLC says, “The Octavian Vaults Library Collection is a natural extension of the IWC and is setting a new standard in wine competitions. It is the only competition in the world with a vintage-focused tasting which assesses five and ten-year-old wines for their quality and when to drink them. We want people to see the Octavian Vaults Library Collection logo and be assured that these wines have aged beautifully and have been produced to exceptional standards. If the Collection logo helps guide people in buying the right wines, whether as a special wine for Christmas Day or as an investment, we have done a useful job.”

The OVLC results are available at www.internationalwinechallenge.com together with tasting notes and an estimate of when to drink the wines. Details of the most successful OVLC wines are listed below.

Octavian Vaults Library Collection 2009 Top Results (95 and over):

• L’Or de Cabidos, 2004, Vivien de Nazelle, France. Score 96/100. Drinking window: Now to 2024.
• Moscatel Roxo, 2004, Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões, Portugal. Score 96/100. Drinking window: Now to 2039.
• Quinta da Prelada, 2004, Samuel Magalhães e Silva, Herdeiros, Portugal. Score 96/100. Drinking window: From 2015 to 2040.
• Vintage Ervamoira, 2004, Adriano Ramos Pinto Vinhos SA, Portugal. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2015 to 2040.
• Piper-Heidsieck Rare, 1999, Champagnes P&C Heidsieck, France. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2019.
• Jacob’s Creek Steingarten, 1999, Orlando Wyndham Group, Australia. Score 95/100. Drinking window: Now to 2020.
• Weissburgunder Smaragd Hochrain, 1999, Erich Machherndl Jr, Austria. Score 95/100. Drinking window: Now to 2020.
• Schales Riesling Eiswein, 2004, Weingut Schales, Astrid Schales, Germany. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2011 to 2020.
• Scirus Rosso Toscana IGT, 2004, Fattoria le Sorgenti, Italy. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2011 to 2019.
• Jacob’s Creek St Hugo, 2004, Orlando Wyndham Group, Australia. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2019 to 2024.
• Barolo Bussia, 2004, Poderi Colla, Italy. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2020.
• Ondarre Reserva, 2004, Bodegas Ondarre SA, Spain. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2011 to 2020.
• Quinta de la Rosa Reserve, 2004, Quinta de la Rosa, Portugal. Score 95/100. Drinking window: Now to 2024.
• San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Reserva, 2004, San Felice, Italy. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2011 to 2015.
• Moscatel de Setúbal, 1999, Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões, Portugal. Score 95/100. Drinking window: From 2020.
• San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Reserva, 1999, San Felice, Italy. Score 95/100. Drinking window: Now to 2016.