Virtuoso Life - September/October 2008 - (Page 158) COLLECTOR Back to the Future Buying wine futures offers a chance to secure promising vintages at a good value – not to mention bragging rights. With more regions than ever getting into the futures game, here’s what you need to know. BY ANTHONY DIAS BLUE g 158 ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAEL LIVESAY-WRIGHT azing at the stately, turreted châteaus surrounded by ripening vines, a casual visitor to Bordeaux may find it idyllic, like the setting for a fairy tale. little do most outsiders suspect that behind those stone facades lies a world of hard-nosed, if not quite cutthroat, negotiation and intrigue – the wine business. Bordeaux is where wine traders honed their skills, and it’s the place still associated with the phenomenon called wine futures. in a nutshell, buying wine futures means purchasing wine in advance of release, with an expectation of future delivery – and possible profit-taking. Wine speculation and the sale of futures date at least as far back as ancient times. roman author Pliny the Betting on a barrel: With wine futures, it’s a countdown until you can uncork your investment. V I RT U O S O L I F E
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