If 25 years ago you would have predicted the emergence of a digital coin now worth over £89,000.00 (1), Nvidia becoming the world’s highest valued company, or seeing the gentrification of Walthamstow increasing property prices in 25 years by 652% (2) many would have questioned your sanity. Yet here in 2025 we have experienced all of the above. The same could be said regarding the fine wine market; Steven Spurrier famously stated in an article for Times magazine in 1985 that the cost of a bottle of Lafite Rothschild 82 would never go above $58.00. He could not have been more wrong with a single bottle selling for over $4,000.00 today.
The global appeal of fine wine is evident, with rising consumption not only in India – as I explored in my article Growing Thirst for Wine in Emerging Economies (3) – but also across the Middle East. With CB Wine managing portfolios for clients in 5 different continents, it is clear to see this demand is pushing further than the glass. An ever expanding market is great news for investors, especially when the fundamentals of capital growth within wine are based around a genuine supply and demand driven environment.
A recent Lansons study, Alternative Assets Have $1.3 Trillion in Growth Potential Among Retail Investors (4), revealed that the greatest barrier to entering the fine wine market is awareness and trust. CB Wine is positioning itself to break down these barriers, but first, it’s essential to understand the demographic shaping this new wave of investors set to influence the market in the years ahead.
How is CB Wine Adapting?
A big part of the CB Wine ethos is trust and transparency, something in which is evident the industry is crying out for. From regular communication such as our monthly CB Extraction, a monthly market summary available to our client base, to one-off deep-dives such as our recent visit to our storage facility London City Bond, as well as interviews with Jane Renwick (Managing Director of LCB) and Lee Whittaker (Warehouse manager for LCB Eton Park), we aim to provide a deeper insight to our operations that many other brokers shy away from. However the key difference of CB Wine is the ecosphere we are continuing to thrive within.
I recall on some recent travels seeing a news report on Northern Italian wine producers and how they are adapting to modern day wine consumption. It is no longer a case that they can survive simply from producing and selling wine; tourism is becoming more and more prevalent to the survival of these producers. Through the addition of Tasting and Travel Specialist Daria Ilina to the CB team, we have been able to launch our CB Travel arm, affording our clients exclusive access to vineyards and wineries the world over, allowing them to discern first hand the romance fine wine has to offer. We believe to experience wine is to understand it, something we believe is of importance for our clients.
Our business has and will always focus on our investment clients but the world of wine is evolving and our business structure has evolved to keep ahead of the trends. The introduction of our events and gifting arm CB Wrapped has uniquely positioned us in the market to drive future generations of investors, monitor drinking trends helping us predict the next cult products which have the potential to provide exponential returns.
CB Wrapped
Through this arm, we deliver a diverse range of wine tasting experiences while also leveraging our curated stock selections for corporate gifting and client needs. Wrapped plays a vital role for our investment clients, as our events help shape the future tastes and preferences of both wine consumers and investors.
Most guests at our regular tastings are aged between 20 and 30, reflecting a growing trend towards conscious drinking, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly production. Our events immerse younger audiences in the lifestyle wine offers, sharing the stories of each producer and their adaptations to challenges such as global warming and evolving market trends.
These events not only influence future consumption patterns towards wines our private clients already hold, but also spark interest in wine investment among a new generation – one that values having their money work for them in a market that fits seamlessly into their daily lives and aligns with their eco-conscious ideals.
Future Trends
We have always focused on analysing market trends and positioning our clients ahead of emerging areas of growth. During the 2011 market correction, we pivoted to introduce Californian wines into our clients’ portfolios – many of which have only recently gained the international recognition they deserve. This forward-thinking approach has delivered strong results, such as Realm The Absurd, which we introduced to clients in 2018 and sold in 2023, achieving returns of over 100%.
The popularity of English sparkling wine has surged, with consumption up 187% since 2018 and no signs of slowing. Anticipating further growth – particularly as warmer climates in France drive demand for English vineyard land – we have built strong relationships with leading producers such as Chapel Down, Nyetimber, and Hundred Hills.
By showcasing these wines at our Wrapped events, retailing them through Uncorked, and offering bespoke winery tours for our clients, we are actively shaping the market. When English sparkling wines reach full investment potential, we will have already cultivated strong in-house demand, creating proven exit routes in this emerging sector and minimising risk for our investors.
Next Cult Products
In (now) established regions such as California, a new generation of winemakers is redefining fine wine production. Among them is Anthony Versochi, founder and winemaker of PIUS – a talent we recognised instantly. The quality of his wines marked him as a future legend in the making. By working closely with PIUS to expand distribution beyond its domestic market, we positioned our clients at the very start of the brand’s projected growth curve. With rumours of strong critic scores across the range, our clients are now advantageously placed to benefit as PIUS gains the recognition it deserves, with the official results due in the coming weeks. (5)
Transparency Online
We are witnessing first-hand the potential that future consumers and investors bring to the ever-expanding fine wine market. However, as highlighted by the recent Lansons study, a lack of transparency and market knowledge remains a significant barrier to entry for some.
At CB Wine, transparency is at the core of what we do. From the launch of our upgraded client portal – allowing investors to track their portfolios in real time – to the continual sharing of insights through our social media channels and podcast series, we ensure our clients are always informed.
Our team boasts over a century of combined expertise, supporting clients and prospective investors in building their knowledge and understanding of the market. By showcasing the lifestyle behind the industry, we enable future investors to see how we deliver full-cycle portfolio management – from sourcing exceptional wines and identifying emerging opportunities, to mitigating risk and executing timely exits from the market.
Current Investors
For our current investors, the influence of younger generations on the fine wine market will be significant – driving both supply and demand, pushing up market prices, and creating direct-to-consumer opportunities for our clients’ holdings through CB Wrapped events and increased traffic to our retail platforms.
Our in-house exit strategies already deliver an average 9% premium compared to the average UK fine wine merchant, and growing demand through these channels will only further enhance profit margins for our clients.
If you would like to learn more about how our business model can strengthen your wider portfolio, ensure your holdings are represented for sale through CB Wrapped and CB Uncorked, or explore getting involved in fine wine investment, schedule a call here and a member of our team will be happy to discuss further.
- Google Bitcoin Price GBP 11/08/2025 17:00
- Money Week, ‘Top 20 UK areas where house prices have ballooned in last 25 years’, Feb 2025
- CB Wine, ‘Growing Thirst for Wine in Emerging Economies’, Sep 2024
- Business Wire, ‘Alternative Assets Have $1.3 Trillion in Growth Potential Among Retail Investors’, May 2025
- YouTube, Cult & Boutique TV, ‘Depth Only | Anthony Versochi’, Apr 2025
