Fine & Rare
Investing in mature, valuable wines is just as much a matter of trust as a serious investment advice.
Wine is first and foremost a pleasure and a cultural asset, a single glass of good wine gathers together an entire microcosm of experience, science and history: terroir, soil, weather, physics, chemistry are all expressed in it. The cultural aspect of wine plays an important role, especially in the so-called Fine & Rare products. Special treasures make even the headlines, when for example, a Champagne that originally sunk with the Titanic comes on the market, but these are exceptional events.
Usually, Fine & Rare wines are nowadays tough investment products, which are subjected to analytical sampling by experts. Emotions play a minor role in this context: business is at stake here! And when it comes to business, trust always plays a prominent role. And this is where Switzerland comes into play, not so much because of its own wines, some excelling in their category, they remain hardly recognized internationally. It is rather, in their life and work philosophy, often referred to as Swissness, that the Swiss people display their true strength. Ethics, sustainability, expertise, good manners and long-term relationships are not just buzzwords in Switzerland, they are lived and nurtured.
Baur au Lac Vins was among the first Swiss wine merchants, which made a name for itself by trading in the finest wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. We have been nurturing this tradition for several generations.
Even today, our cellars contain wines like Château Haut-Brion, which used to be imported "en barrique" by Cave Baur au Lac, bottled, and sold to the regular guests of our hotel. Nowadays of course, only wines bottled on the estate leave the famous Châteaux. Mostly purchased "en primeur", the wines arrive in the air conditioned cellars of Baur au Lac Vins two years later.
By now, the clientele for such growths has expanded greatly. We sell these wines in the whole of Switzerland, also to numerous hotels, restaurants and retailers. In order to continue satisfying the increasing demand in the future, our search for rare wines is becoming ever more intensive. To an increasing degree, we purchase wines from private cellars and restaurants.
Evidently, such purchases are carried out with the utmost care. Baur au Lac Vins only purchases from these provenances if the origin of the wines can be retraced and the storage conditions are impeccable. Our quality control watches meticulously the filling quantity, the condition of the label, the capsule and the original packaging. The market prices are defined by supply and demand, but nowadays, very few connoisseurs are interested in drinking an over-priced bottle. We would be pleased to make you an offer, should you wish to part with a few wines. Please send your list per fax or per e-mail to:
Mario Aschwanden, Purchase manager
Tel: +41 44 777 05 05
Fax: +41 44 777 05 03
E-Mail: mario.aschwanden@balv.ch