Masters of Storage

On May 11, Octavian Wine Services, the leading wine and spirit storage company that provides naturally stable conditions for the long-term storage of some of the world’s most valuable wines and spirits, invited Master of Wine students – and fully-fledged MWs – to a study visit at Octavian’s underground wine cellars outside Bath.

Hosted by Octavian Managing Director Vincent O’Brien and wine consultant, Sara Abbott MW, it offered a rare opportunity to explore the post-bottling life of fine wine, stored in former stone mines beneath the Wiltshire countryside.
During the visit they explored how professional cellaring relates to key MW study areas. They include:

• Wine handling, storage and maturation – the impact of temperature, humidity and bottle ageing on wine development;
• Quality, provenance and authenticity – how storage conditions influence collectability and secondary market value, including security, authentication and insurance
• The business of wine – logistics, fine-wine storage, and the infrastructure supporting the global fine-wine trade.

While many MW study visits focus on vineyards and production, this day shone a light on what happens to wine after it leaves the winery.

Caroline Herrman MW, who practices alcohol beverage law and previously served as a U.S. federal regulator overseeing imported and exported wine, has a particular interest in this side of the wine trade. “The visit highlighted the extent to which fine wine storage depends on systems of ownership, provenance, and asset protection that are largely invisible to consumers but fundamental to the wine trade,” she said, adding that Octavian offered a glimpse into a “hidden infrastructure”, where bonded storage, logistics, tax administration, and rigorous chain-of-custody practices are as important to preserving value as the physical conditions in which the wine is stored.”

She added that in a largely unregulated £20 billion fine wine market, confidence ultimately depends on the ability to authenticate ownership, trace assets, and protect their integrity over time.

Sommelier, and hospitality consultant, Claire Love, said the visit gave her a “fascinating insight into a part of the wine trade that is often overlooked by both consumers and many professionals, adding that it provided valuable context as to why professional storage commands a premium and the role it plays in maintaining confidence within the fine wine market.

“Whilst the scale of the underground cellars is undeniably impressive, the real value of the visit lay in understanding the systems, expertise, and attention to detail required to safeguard fine wine over the long term particularly around provenance, documentation, and the continuity of information that travels with a wine throughout its life. For me, this was one of the most valuable takeaways from the day and a useful reminder that storage is an integral part of the wine supply chain rather than simply a logistical necessity.”

Mark de Vere MW agreed. “Clearly Octavian’s processes are best in class,” he said. “The detailed approach to traceability of each case of each customer’s specific wine was impressive. I imagine in the past, the importance of this might not have occurred to many over-trusting clients of storage facilities.” He added that it was one thing to hear about the potential downside to poor storage, but beautiful to see the positive up-side to great cellaring.

“Vincent was a wonderful host,” he concluded. “Having an expert who developed expertise in logistics outside the wine trade, now sharing his expertise in the wine world, and with the passionate ‘ownership’ he has for the Octavian operation was wonderful, and very informative.”

Herrman shared some of her notes from the tasting that was also part of the itinerary: “1990 Dom Perignon reminiscent of Grand Cru Burgundy (cellared since 2002), a still fresh ripe 2010 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (cellared since 2016), and an exceptional 1986 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (cellared since 2006).”

“To see such beautiful wines shining, in such pristine condition after cellaring at Octavian, was a wonderful way to drive home the benefits of good cellaring, said De Vere”

The final word went to Mark Bingley MW. “I thought I had just come to see ‘where my wine was stored’ but then found myself very impressed by the professional focus on all aspects of the role as custodians of high quality wines,” he said “Plus enjoying those excellent wines which had clearly benefited from long storage in the perfect conditions of your cellars, which were a great treat and a reminder of why we all go to such lengths to preserve great bottles into their full potential.”

Octavian Wine Services is part of the Institute of Masters of Wine’s supporter network.