Journal

Opinion, recommendations and market analysis from our experts

How can you pay for wine and it still not be yours?

Is storage the least sexy part of wine? “Definitely,” as Vincent O’Brien, Managing Director at Octavian Wine Services says. However, this is timely interview in light of the Oeno Group scandal that is agitating the wine world and has struck at the roots of one of the most crucial, least…

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Caveat Emptor

The Oeno Group scandal that unfolded a week before Christmas, but had been years in the making, struck at one of the most crucial, least regarded issues in wine: ownership. On December 19th, the London-based wine investment, at the request of the City of London Corporation Trading Standards Service firm,…

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Just drink better by Michael Karam

Many people find Christmas a challenging time, especially those who normally follow the BMA’s advice on how many units are safe to consume. If you work in wine, drinking, obviously, is an occupational hazard. Christmas is the event we’ve been training for. But it also means an extra helping of…

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Jason Millar’s investor’s guide to Italian wines

The last few years haven’t been much fun for wine investors, but the market is stabilising and Italy has been the one region that held its ground even as everything else slipped. Over a decade, Italian fine wine is up roughly 60% compared with Bordeaux’s 15–20%.

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The Legacy of Paris

I was at a dinner in London at which the host, a serious Bordeaux and Burgundy collector, went ‘off-piste’ and served a trio of magnificent Californian reds.

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Collecting English Fizz

A few years ago, I asked a bunch (now there’s an appropriate collective noun) of English winemakers and producers what it would take for the UK wine industry to get to the next level. All gave the same answer but Brad Greatrix, of Nyetimber, expressed it most succinctly. “Collectors need…

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All I want from Santa is …..

What 12 industry professionals hope will be under their tree on Christmas morning

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Malbec Man

There are those who entrust their cases of Domaine Romanée-Conti or Pétrus to Octavian for safe keeping (and who wouldn’t?). They might have strong opinions on en primeur sales, vintage variation and when to drink (or sell) the stuff. And then there is the rest of us, for whom wine…

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Whisky’s First Growths

“Scotch has long had a bit of a crush on Bordeaux and we keep borrowing Bordeaux’s language to promote it,” said Isabel Graham-Yooll founder of whisky consultancy Wisgy. I was surprised therefore that nobody has produced a ranking of the ‘first growths’ of distilleries in imitation of the famous 1855…

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Cellars I have known

Wine sales are falling. Indeed, consumption of all alcohol is plummeting as Gen Z fails to pull its weight. Sad but true: one fifth of the population doesn’t drink. Dear oh dear.

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Octavian Hosts The Spectator wine Club

Octavian, the West Country company that, for the past 30 years, has set the standard for fine wine storage, recently held a unique cellar tour, tasting and ‘bring your own bottle’ lunch for eight intrepid Spectator readers, hosted by the magazine’s drinks editor, Jonathan Ray, Master of Wine, Sarah Abbot…

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Chateau Musar

In the first in Octavian’s series on collectable wines, Michael Karam tells how Serge Hochar created Chateau Musar’s cult following

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Young Collectors

Michael Karam tells us that younger and more demanding collectors are shaping the future of the fine wine market and how Octavian, the leading storage company, is wooing them

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Peace of Mind

For wine lovers with large collections, storage is often an afterthought. This is understandable. The intrinsic quality of the wines themselves, the provenance, the experience – and yes, sometimes the display – all of these are considered fundamental to their enjoyment of their wine. And rightly so – they are…

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The benefits of good quality storage

Most readers of this blog would agree that, broadly speaking, in life you get what you pay for. Of course, there are occasions when you might be surprised by a genuine bargain, but as a rule of thumb, paying two-star rates and expecting five-star service is the definition either of…

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More Than Storage

There was a time when professionally storing your wine meant entrusting your bottles to a solid chap in a pair of corduroy trousers somewhere in St James’s after a handshake and good lunch. Would they be cellared properly? Probably. Were they insured? Possibly. But, could you track demand for a…

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Protecting Your Wine Collection: Avoid These Costly Storage Mistakes

Fine wine is a legacy, an asset, and a passion. But without the right protection, its value, provenance, and quality can be lost. At Octavian, we are more than just a storage provider. We are custodians of the world’s most precious wine collections. We don’t just store your wine; we…

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Golden Vines Weekend 2024

The Golden Vines Weekend 2024 brought together fine wine collectors, connoisseurs, and industry leaders in a grand celebration of wine and philanthropy. Held in Madrid, the weekend aimed to raise vital funds for the Gérard Basset Foundation, an organisation dedicated to creating a more diverse and inclusive future in the…

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Carved in stone: the unique history of Octavian Vaults

Our home, locally known as Eastlays Mine, has a fascinating history from its origins in stone quarrying to its contemporary use in fine wine storage.

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Thoughts from the vaults: cellaring resolutions

One allure of fine wine is its lifeline. Many of the bottles in Octavian’s vaults have been with us for decades, acquiring depth, nuance and value. No wonder that these wines are opened to celebrate precious milestones.   Such transcendent wine experiences are created through diligence and are threatened by…

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Thoughts from the vaults: December 2023

Rare bottles hold stories as well as wine. The world at large has been fascinated by tales of long-lost wines and spirits recovered from shipwrecks or found in a forgotten corner of a cellar. One of the most famous (and cringe-inducing) is that of a 1787 Château Margaux alleged to…

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Octavian fundraises to help support Wiltshire Air Ambulance

We are proud to have featured in an article by Erin Wright in the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald, the article is reproduced below.  

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DEFRA VI1 – Export markets may continue

As you will be aware that VI1 documents will be mandated to accompany wine imports from the EU from 31 December 2020 in case of No deal Brexit (or deal Brexit for that matter depending on what is agreed). Please find linked below, what we believe to be a very…

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Secure, intuitive and user-friendly – welcome to Octavian’s new website

Launched earlier this month as part of a wider brand refresh, octavian.co.uk has been designed to deliver an engaging, more user-friendly and secure online experience. Take a browse through the pages and you will discover what makes ours the perfect storage environment; how our culture of care and insistence upon…

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Complacent about wine storage security? A cautionary tale

For Wine Merchant Tuggy Meyer, the loss of £200,000 worth of his wine from his professional storage provider earlier this year is not a myth within the fine wine industry and worryingly, nor is the theft an isolated incident. Inconceivable though it may seem, Meyer’s high value stock was lifted…

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The Case for Wood

In keeping with its culture of impeccable care, Octavian has recently upgraded its wine packaging from cardboard boxes to branded wooden wine crates. It is a move designed to offer collectors peace of mind that their delicate collections are appropriately contained in sturdier, more durable and secure casing. “Over time,…

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Taking Stock

Claire Turner, Stock Control Manager reveals why Octavian took the strategic decision to invest heavily in its stock control function and explains why rigorous processes, and the data gathered from them are key to continual improvement. Passionate about Process Overseeing stock integrity within a large, standardised warehouse environment is one…

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Where Housing Wine is Different

“You just don’t know the sentimental value attached to each bottle; the history; the story behind each case. What may be stock in a typical warehouse is the customer’s prized possession at Octavian, with huge personal value, so we handle it as if it were our own.” The very nature…

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The Most Impressive New Wine Releases From 2017

As most fine wine aficionados will know, it can take several years for experts to establish the best vintages and often, experts across the world are divided on the most impressive wine releases. Wine is of course a matter of taste but generally, the most reputable sommeliers and wine experts…

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The Best Food Pairings For Rosé Wine

Wine pairing can be tricky old affair, especially when it comes to rosé due to the fact that it is of course a hybrid of red and white grapes. You may be surprised to learn however, that this actually makes it quite easy to match with some fantastic dishes. We…

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A guide to South African wine

The Octavian blog has become one of the UK’s favourite destinations for those looking to learn about wine, especially over the last year or so. As well as having some of the finest facilities in the country when it comes to wine storage and cellarage, our team of specialists have enjoyed…

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Top wine bars in London

If you have been enjoying the latest articles here at the Octavian blog, then we have a treat for you in the form of our latest fine wine feature. We have been covering everything from the best English vineyards to the best way to decant your wine, but today we…

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6 English Vineyards You Must Visit

If you speak to someone who has had a recent trip to a vineyard, you probably conjure images of an idyllic French chateau or perhaps sojourn to Tuscany, and rightly so. However, the last few decades has seen good old Blighty build up a fantastic reputation for our wines and also the…

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The meaning behind a wine’s colour

To a novice, the colour of wine can seem like quite an elementary affair. Red, rose and white; right? The fact of the matter is that the meaning of wine colour is a lot more intricate than that and getting to know the nuances of wine colour meaning can be the difference between…

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When and Why to Decant Wine

Decanting wine seems to have become trendy again. Whether you are in a fancy new restaurant or the latest hipster hangout, decanters certainly seem to be on the rise despite many establishments not knowing how and when they should be used. As regular readers of the Octavian blog will tell you, our…

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6 white wines perfect for the spring season

Now that spring has finally decided to show its face in the here in the UK, we have seen fit to take a look at some of the very best white wines you should be considering this year. As we move out of the chilly winter months, many will be switching…

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5 tips for building your wine portfolio

If you have made the exciting decision to monetise your wine collection by building a complete portfolio, the latest blog here at Octavian will definitely be of interest. We have covered certain aspects of wine investment in the past and these articles have always been well received, but in today’s feature we look to…

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Wine podcasts worth listening to

Although podcasts have been around for years, since the advent of the iPod and other Apple devices in fact, it is only in recent times that they have found such intense popularity. A number of factors have impacted this from the quality of podcast available to increasing data allowances and…

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5 most romantic wines for Valentine’s day

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may well be thinking of ways to impress your other half with some sumptuous fine wine. As purveyors of wine cellarage and storage, this is a subject that is quite close to our hearts and there are a few wines that we…

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Where did wine originate?

The story of where wine originates from is a fascinating one and a debate that has raged on for many millennia, still without a clear and conclusive answer. To be honest, the version of events will differ greatly depending on where in the world you are from as the beverage…

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Great British wine brands

British wine and in particular, English wine, has been absolutely booming in recent years. Although a way off our French and Italian cousins, there are new vineyards popping up all over Britain these days; in fact, HMRC applications are up more than 40% just in the last year. English red…

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Why wine is aged in oak

If you have drunk a fine wine of late, the chances are that is has been aged in an oak barrel. Not many are aware of this fact and believe that only certain types of wine are oak aged, but the fact of the matter is that this process is…

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Wine events in January 2018

Although many of us may feel like we have drunk our respective weights in wine over the festive period, today’s feature here at Octavian brings you useful information on the best wine fairs and events across the UK. Read on to find out where you should be heading this month in…

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Why you should change your Champagne to wine this new years

With party hosts, bar and restaurant managers and event planners around the UK currently organising their 2018 New Year’s Eve parties, a beg decision for all involved will be what they should serve throughout the evening. As wine aficionados, this is obviously a topic very close to our hearts here…

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Mulled wine or Glühwein – 5 Facts

With Christmas just around the corner, we’re sure your plans for Christmas are well and truly underway. Of course, Christmas is a time to celebrate with friends and family whilst enjoying delicious food and drink and what better way to celebrate this festive time than with a glass of traditional…

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Great Wines To Drink With Christmas Dinner

There is surely no day of the year more suitable for enjoying some of the finest wines money can buy, than Christmas Day. Given the time, money and effort you have put into preparing a delicious meal for your family and possibly friends; this demands to be complemented by a…

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Festive wine attractions in London

With Christmas time well and truly upon us, you may well be thinking of alternative attractions to spend your time with friends and family this December. You will of course have your local German markets to frequent and enjoy some festive treats, but where in London can you find the…

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Recipe for Mulled Wine – Getting Ready For the Festivity

Time for something a bit festive here at the Octavian news centre. If you have been visiting the site late you will have noticed that we have been covering everything a wine investor needs from market analysis to how to store your investments, but with December just around the corner…

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5 Wine Magazines You Need to Read

The fact that you have found your way to the Octavian website means that you are most probably on the hunt for some guidance regarding fine wines, wine investment, the best new wines or perhaps storing some stock you have recently acquired. Whilst you are undoubtedly in the right place,…

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What Is Noble Rot & How Does It Affect Wine Flavour?

If you have been visiting the Octavian site for a while, then you will no doubt have been enjoying our great wine features on everything from the best way to invest, to storage advice. Today, we look to focus on an area that has accumulated some myth over the years,…

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What Are Biodynamic Wines and How Are They Used?

The Octavian blog was created to give both discerning fine wine experts and novices, all the information they need about the world of wine. If you have read some of our articles before, you will have found features about everything from PH levels and the aging process to investing and…

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Top Tips to Help You Become a Successful Wine Investor

Wine as an investment as sky rocketed in recent years, leading many to consider the world’s favourite drink as the perfect way to make substantial amounts of money. Like any investment, it has its benefits and of course its pitfalls but there are some wine investment tips that can help…

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How to Correctly Understand Wine Tasting Notes

You have recently made the foray into the world of fine wine, the chances are that you are starting to familiarise yourself with wine tasting and the detailed notes that often come as part and parcel of the process. It can be somewhat daunting for newbies and even established wine…

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8 Best Wine Producing Destinations

If you have been a regular reader here at Octavian, then you will no doubt have been keeping up to date with our recent guides on how best to condition your wine, the ageing process and of course the ideal cellarage options for various different types of fine wines from…

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Temperature and Air Quality

Your fine wine doesn’t just need time to mature. It needs the right temperature, too. Fine wine has always been stored underground. Why? Because 100ft underground the temperature remains stable. When we founded Colerne Reserve, we wanted to replicate the natural conditions in Corsham Cellars. So we engineered a comprehensive…

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Humidity

Dry conditions can be disastrous for your fine wine. That’s why humidity is crucial. Low humidity can cause the cork to dry, and your fine wine to evaporate more quickly. Ultimately, this affects the neck level in your bottle, and causes a drop in value. The extra air in the…

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Learn What Happens to Wine When it Ages

Not all wines are made to age. That may sound odd given the undisputed value of wine cellarage and optimal conditions, but the modern trends of making wine on mass to be opened immediately has meant that your average bottle of Blossom Hill or Jacob’s Creek is likely to lose…

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Why Are Wine PH Levels Important?

In the latest addition to our advice section here at Octavian, we take a look at wine PH levels and why they are so important. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the world of wine or have been collecting, drinking or investing in the world’s best Bordeaux for…

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5 Best Red Wines For Autumn

As disappointing as it may be, the Indian summer we had all hoped for looks like it has failed to materialise; leaving us all looking towards another long British autumn and winter. Fear not, however, as the latest Octavian feature looks to investigate the 5 best red wines for autumn.…

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How to Invest in Fine Wine

If you have recently started investing in fine wine, then the chances are that you have found it to be a bit of a minefield. Many people make the mistake of thinking that just being a fan of, or perhaps very knowledgeable about their favourite wines, makes them perfect for…

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Wine Parties & Tasting Tips

Many people make this mistake of thinking that, in order to experience fine wine tasting, they need to jet off to a luxurious location such as the south of France or Italy. However, as this latest guide from the Octavian blog will cover, this is actually far easier to do…

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6 Best Wines For Your Wedding

There can be little doubt about it, choosing the best wines for your wedding can make or break the catering aspect of your big day. If you are somewhat of a fine wine aficionado then this will not prove too difficult but for mere mortals, this can be one of…

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Wine Festivals Happening In August

Now summer is drawing to a close, you may well be thinking of a last-minute trip away and a wine festival might just be the perfect summer event to celebrate the end of August. From one-day intimate wine events in small Italian regions to week-long festivals in some of the…

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Luxury Vineyards You Need to Visit

If you have been a regular visitor here at the Octavian site of late, then you will no doubt have enjoyed our fine wine features and articles regarding everything from wine cellarage to the best wine prices and rates sites. In this blog post, we search for the best luxury…

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A Guide to Wine Storage Rules and Regulations

If you are new to the fine wine industry, or perhaps you are investing in wine for the first time, you may not be aware of the fairly stringent rules that surround it. These are important to check as wine storage has many regulations surrounding it. However, the team of…

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What You Should Be Looking For in a Wine Storage Company

As one of the UK’s top wine storage companies, the team here at Octavian have been bringing you all manner of advisory pieces and guides as we look to dispel some myths and bring you the lowdown of an industry that is becoming more and more popular. Investing in fine…

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The Differences Between Mass Produced and Boutique Wine

Welcome back to the Octavian blog. This week we address the differences between cheap, mass produced wine and high quality vintages. We ensure our wines are kept in optimal conditions, but what happens before they reach us? Indeed, the process of creating a fine wine and then waiting for it…

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A Tour of Octavians Corsham Cellars

You will often hear us talk about our wine cellarage services here at Octavian, so we decided to show you our premium storage facility, and give you a quick tour of our Corsham Cellars; home to some of the finest wines you will find anywhere on the globe. Wine investors…

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Wine Insurance: What You Need to Know

Vintage and fine wines are quickly coming to the fore as collectors benefit from what has become one of the best performing asset classes of the last 20 years. So nowadays it’s not just fine wine enthusiasts who collect expensive wines, but also prudent investors who see them as fantastic…

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Who is Robert Parker?

As part of our continued commitment to bringing you all you need to know about the world’s finest wines, we thought it only right that we profiled perhaps the most iconic figure in the entire industry. This is just one of a number of articles created here at the Octavian’s…

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A Guide to Buying Wine En Primeur

In June’s final instalment here at the Octavian blog, we take a look at a subject that is never far from the news – that of buying wine “en primeur”. Translated from French as “wine futures”, this is the process of buying fine wines whilst they are still ageing in…

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How to Properly Store or Lay Wine at Home

If you have been reading the Octavian blog recently, you will have seen that we have really upped our game in terms of bringing you all the latest news and resources you need regarding wine cellarage, investment and of course, bonded wines. Today, our team has seen fit to publish…

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What Qualifies as a Bonded Wine Warehouse?

Due to our passion for bonded wines and cellarage, you will often hear us talking about wine duty and storage here on the Octavian site, but many customers who are new to the scene may find all of this terminology somewhat confusing. As such, our wine experts have put this…

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Where To Buy and Value Wine Online

For anyone new to the industry, finding the best wines and the right investors is challenging. Although we can’t give you a magic formula, we can point you in the direction of some of the best online resources for making the most informed decision when buying wine online.

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What You Need to Know About Investing in Wine

Here at Octavian, we have looked after wines for more than 20 years and now store vintages from over 10,000 collectors investors and wine merchants. We know that successfully investing in fine wine requires preparation and knowledge to ensure that you get the most benefit from your investment. So, we…

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What Is Bonded Wine?

In this article, we look to shed some light on bonded wine, exactly what this means, and the benefits of investing.

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How to Avoid Wine Investment Scams

We have been covering all manner of topics here at Octavian this month, from the virtues of premier wine cellarage to finding the latest trading information. In this instalment we discuss how to spot and avoid wine investment scams. If you are conned by one of these wine brokers or…

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The Spear’s 500

Octavian’s Managing Director, Vincent O’Brien, features in the Spear’s 500 as one of only 14 “best wine advisers” …read more

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How to Start a Fine Wine Collection

The Telegraph’s wine correspondent Victoria Moore talks about her own experience of wine collecting before sharing tips from Octavian’s Ella Lister ahead of a seminar on the subject as part of London Wine Week …read more

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Octavian hosts a seminar as London Wine Week’s Official Storage Partner

Octavian is delighted to be supporting the first ever London Wine Week as its Official Storage Partner. How to Start a Fine Wine Collection: that is the title of our seminar being held at Hedonism Wines in Mayfair on Tuesday 3rd June, where guests will be treated to Pol Roger…

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Additional Services

Number of cases Charge per case Bottle picking (relates to 1-12 bottles) *excludes mixed cases £5.48 per case Content checking £5.47 per wooden case £3.42 per cardboard carton Under bond mixed cases – POA (Please contact customer services) Photography £11.06 per case Case banding £0.95 per finished case DRe-packing cases…

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The Wine Lover’s Ultimate Gift List

Wine lovers can sometimes be tricky to buy gifts for, especially if you aren’t really an expert on fine wines yourself. Buy something too expensive and find out is wrong and you have wasted a lot of money, or go the other end of the scale and you could well…

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Some New English Sparkling Wines to Try

English sparkling wine has experienced something of a revolution in recent times. If you had uttered the words “English Wine” not so long ago,  you would have been laughed off the vineyard, especially on the continent, but things are a little bit different these days. We are not saying that our…

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Our Favourite Wine Books of 2018

As our regular readers will tell you, we are nearly as committed to educating our readers about all things wine as we are cellarage and wine storage. We have covered the best wine websites and podcasts in the past but today we have decided to take a look at our favourite…

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How To Promote Your New Wine Brand

If you have recently made the very worthwhile foray into the wine production business, then you may well be keen to learn the best way to promote your brand. These days, just having the best product isn’t enough and a lack of research on the best way to sell your line…

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How to Order From a Restaurant Wine List Like a Pro

Being handed the wine list at a restaurant can be a daunting prospect, even for the most seasoned of fine wine experts. Even if you think you have a pretty good grasp of the world’s more sophisticated wines, being expected to pick something absolutely top drawer and to everyone’s taste…

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How to Open a Bottle of Wine Like a Sommelier

Opening a bottle of wine like a professional sommelier is easy right? Wrong. Even in the most prestigious of establishments in the UK, the art of opening a bottle of wine properly and traditionally seems to have died out. We think this is something that needs to change. There are…

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How to Join the Wine Grape Harvest

As we sip our favourite wines of an evening, or even a lunchtime if you are so inclined, we rarely think about just how this fine beverage has ended up in our glass. Of course, the more seasoned sommeliers and wine experts may do so every now and again but…

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How do you become a wine judge?

For more than three decades, the team here at Octavian has helped fine wine connoisseurs from across the UK deepen the value and pleasure they get from their beloved wine collections. Not content with just providing this exemplary service via our cutting edge Corsham Cellars, we have also built up…

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How does soil influence wine quality

Many of our readers here at Octavian come to our blog to learn about wine, the way it is made and of course, the very best fine wines they should be drinking and investing in. This educational aspect is something we have to come to really enjoy and as such, we…

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Complacent about wine storage security? A cautionary tale

For Wine Merchant Tuggy Meyer, the loss of £200,000 worth of his wine from his professional storage provider earlier this year is not a myth within the fine wine industry and worryingly, nor is the theft an isolated incident. Inconceivable though it may seem, Meyer’s high value stock was lifted…

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Combine Summer Holiday and Wine Tasting in Italy

If you are a regular reader here at Octavian, then the chances are that you enjoy combining great wine with your holidays. Indeed, the two complement each other perfectly causing many wine investors and enthusiasts alike to combine their two favourite things by travelling the world’s finest vineyards. For this reason,…

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Celebrities Who Actually Make Good Wine

As any seasoned aficionado will tell you, fine wine is reassuringly expensive. From the grapes to the soil and of course the expertise required to make a truly great wine, you simply can’t acquire these things without large amounts of money and even then, this isn’t guaranteed to get you…

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Asian Wine: Why we Should be Interested

Asia and fine wine are not things you would necessarily expect to be synonymous. Thankfully, due to advances in viticultural techniques and an increasing demand for excellent wines in the region, Asian wine is most definitely on an upward curve. From Japan to China and even great produce coming from…

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8 Traditional Easter Wine Pairings

8 Traditional Easter Wine Pairings Easter is nearly upon us once again and with it a whole new set of wine pairing conundrums. It seems that no sooner has the dust settled on a busy Christmas and New Year period, that we are again organising our Easter festivities for 2018…

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The 7 Best Snacks To Serve With Wine

We talk a lot here at Octavian about the very finest wines from around the world and just how you can invest in these and of course store them in facilities such as ours. But sometimes, we neglect to discuss the one thing that goes with wine better than anything in…

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6 Wine Festivals Around The World Not to Miss

The bedrock of any festival is of course, alcohol. Whether you are at a famous music festival such as Glastonbury or Coachella, or one of the many wine festivals across the globe; the event is made all the more enjoyable through the process of enjoying fine wine or other alcoholic…

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Certificate Of Pristine Storage

Today’s wine buyers and auctioneers know that properly cellared wine commands a premium. Over time, buyers will not just ask for fine wine, but tangible proof of properly stored fine wine. Octavian Vaults’ unique certificate officially authenticates that your wine has been laid down in correct conditions whilst in our…

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Top Wine Instagram Accounts to Follow

There can be no doubt about it, Instagram is now the social media platform of choice for anyone looking to learn more about their favourite hobbies and pastimes. Although the likes of Facebook and Twitter are still widely used, you simply can’t beat “Insta” when looking to share your memories…

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The Most Spectacular Wine Regions of Europe

There can be little doubt about it, Europe produces the world’s finest wines. Although the new world regions are getting better all the time, wines from the classic regions of Europe quite simply set the standard and many of the methods used across South America, Australia, South Africa and New…

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The Benefits Of Professional Wine Storage

Professional wine storage is obviously something we take very seriously at Octavian, but not everyone realises the vast potential of keeping your fine wines in optimum conditions. When asking those who are new to the world of fine wine, they often believe that is just a case of space and…

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Rosé Wine’s Origin and How It is Made

Rosé wine is one of the world’s most popular wines and actually one of the oldest, something many people are unaware of. Despite this, there are some myths and misconceptions about rosé that we hear quite a lot at Octavian. We have therefore put this handy guide together, detailing rosé wine’s origin and how…

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How to use wine lingo

  If you are new to the world of fine wine but are enjoying learning all about its nuances, then one of the biggest aspects to this has been the wine lingo you hear many people speaking in. Seasoned sommeliers and wine enthusiasts are somewhat infamous for using all sorts of…

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An Overview of Japanese Wine

You may not necessarily associate Japan or other areas of Asia with fine wine, but as we investigate in the latest feature here at the Octavian blog, Koshu could well emerge as one of the standout grapes to look out for in the future. As part of a series of guides…

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Storage: when your case ends up in court

Having merchants store wine for you is handy, but if they run into financial difficulty, you might wish you’d dealt directly with the warehouse. …download the pdf

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Dyrebare dråper (Precious Drops)

Norway’s Aftenposten examines wine investment and the role that Octavian has to play in ensuring proper storage …read more

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The Biggest Fine Wine Cellar in the World

Anthony Rose recounts his underground adventures at Octavian’s Corsham Cellars. For both English and Chinese versions …read more

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Safe Stashes: How to Select a Wine Storage Company

Bloomberg’s Elin McCoy outlines what to look for in a wine storage company, and puts Octavian forward as her only UK recommendation …read more

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Bordeaux Index Signs with Octavian

Octavian, the leading fine wine services business, announced on 20th September 2012 that it has signed a long term agreement with Bordeaux Index, one of the world’s largest fine wine merchants, to provide storage and distribution services. Over the coming months Bordeaux Index will be moving all of its stocks…

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Armit moves to Octavian’s Colerne Reserve

Octavian, the leading fine wine services business, announced on 1st October 2012 that it has retained Armit Wines on a long term agreement, to provide storage and distribution services. Over the coming months Armit Wines will be moving all of its stocks into Octavian’s Colerne Reserve, at Colerne in Wiltshire.…

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An Interview with Nigel Jagger: Chairman of Octavian

Nigel talks about his many passions; for being his own boss, for sailing, for project Spyfish and of course, for fine wine storage …read more

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Octavian takes centre stage as logistics business is sold

Culina Group Limited (‘Culina’), the market-leading provider of shared-user logistics services for food and drink companies, has announced an agreement to take over the supply chain activities of Cert Octavian Holdings plc (‘Cert Octavian’) from Monday 23 April 2012. The terms of the agreement, including consideration, have not been disclosed.…

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Wine styles of the rich and famous: The Wiltshire ‘wine mine’ that houses the finest vintages

Demand for the finest vintages has soared during the past five years. Jamie Merrill discovers how they’re kept in optimum drinking condition …read more

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RT1 visits Corsham Cellars – Russian language only

Watch the video here

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China Hoists its Sails

Per capita wine consumption in the country is still minuscule but the total wine market has grown exponentially. …read more

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Storage Facilities Flourish: Octavian Visits Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper, the SCMP, discusses Octavian’s perfect conditions and the Certificate of Pristine Storage, in the light of their presence at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair. …read more

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The Value of Storage Provenance in Fine Wine Investment

Ella Lister, Fine Wine Strategy, Octavian, delivered this well received presentation at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair in November 2011. Discover Our Wine Vintages Chart To download a copy of the presentation in pdf format, click here.

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Octavian Increases Presence in Asia with A Stand at Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair

The fourth edition of the annual Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from 3rd to 5th November For the first time Octavian will join the 800 other exhibitors at the fair, where Founder and Chairman, Nigel Jagger,…

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The Wine Connoisseur’s Underground Vault

“The Wine World’s Answer to Fort Knox” …read more

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Ella Lister joins Octavian to develop fine wine strategy and service innovation

Miss Lister’s primary role will be the origination, research and development of new business strategies and services for Octavian. Based between London and Corsham, she will draw on her business development background and wine industry knowledge in forging a long term strategy that will continue to strengthen and broaden the…

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Spiral Marketing

The cool, damp climate conditions of the temperate UK, in particular, were suitable for wine storage, and much of the world’s privately owned fine-wine stocks are at present UK-stored, notably at the Octavian, a vast underground facility at Corsham in Wiltshire …read more

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Year’s end. The big picture.

A round up of 2010’s auction facts and figures, plus a look at wine-storage facilities and their role in protecting vinous investments …download the pdf

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Inside the wine vault: where the super-rich hoard their liquid gold

A rare glimpse of Octavian Wine Vaults’s Corsham Cellars, where 5m bottles of fine wine are stored beneath the Wiltshire countryside …read more

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A hundred feet under the tiny village of Gastard, on the outskirts of Corsham, can be found £1bn worth of the finest wines in the world.

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Fine Wine – The Finest Investment?

2009 has been hailed as an extraordinary vintage throughout France, reflected in Burgundy prices that increased 20% on last year at the 149th Hospices de Beaune auction. But following the economic downturn last year, does a good vintage still translate into a good investment? Discover Our Wine Vintages Chart This…

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The Octavian Library Collection – The Results Are In

The aim of the Octavian Library Collection was to highlight readily available wines at 5 and 10 years old, with particular attention to their cellaring potential. Wines were blind-tasted by experts including Tim Atkin MW, Sam Harrop MW, Charles Metcalfe and Derek Smedley MW, and scored out of 100. This…

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Let’s get this party started with the help of the world’s finest wines

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Our story starts with a stone mine.

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