Megagrowth Bordeaux wine
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Megagrowth ranking two
Bordeaux Wine Investments, Sevenoaks
Growth: 370.7%
This year’s runner-up has long toasted business success in fine
wine.
BWI emerged in 1998 when Andy Lench, founder of a US company
Bordeaux Wine Locators set up some 12 years earlier, sought access
to the UK market where significant stocks of older vintages could
be found and where there were plenty of private clients keen to
buy, collect, consume and invest in the wine.
In 2003, Andy’s brother Robert, then a stockbroker with 28 years
in financial services, was looking for a change of lifestyle. He
took over the helm and moved the business, then with just three
employees, to Sevenoaks.
Robert was only too well aware of the uncertainties attached to
equity and fund investments and thought Bordeaux a potentially more
stable and profitable asset.
BWI experts advise clients about wine investment, look after
their asset, suggest the best vintages to buy and the most
favourable times to sell. Some investors have achieved phenomenal
three-digit percentage returns in only a few years.
Robert, a regular visitor to the vineyards of Bordeaux,
recommends 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2005 as good recent
vintage
BWI now employs 11 people and has become one of the leading
Bordeaux specialists in the UK, with a focus on high-end wine for
corporate and private markets.
Through its close links with Bordeaux winemakers, BWI obtains
supplies not available to other outlets.
Robert says its success is down to good service and pricing
policy, client trust, referral and repeat business. But he singles
out his "greatest asset" – his staff – for most praise.
BWI has also benefited from greater consumer interest in fine
wine.
The firm is considering opening an overseas office, possibly in
Singapore or Hong Kong, and acquiring its own bonded warehouse. "We
will continue to grow the business," says Robert.
Thursday, September 24 2009
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