Whether you are a wine collector or someone who stumbled upon one or more exclusive wines, you want the highest price possible when selling. To be sure you receive a worthy price it’s important you reach out to professionals who you can trust. But where to go? An established auction house? Or a passionated wine retailer with more than seventeen years of experience in buying private wine cellars? In this blogpost we explain you the differences between both options.
Selling to Belgium Wine Watchers
Belgium Wine Watchers is the perfect partner if you want to sell your entire wine cellar, or one special wine bottle. We don’t set a limit on quality: from one exclusive wine to a complete wine cellar, we offer you a fair and market-based price.
Save time
Based on a detailed inventory we personally estimate the value of your exclusive wines. As we are wine lovers pur sang, we tell you everything you need to know about the winery and its history. We are a specialised company with eight employees who - out of Belgium - trade older and exclusive wines. We know exactly how much your wines are really worth.
As we work efficiently we help you quickly from the first to the last bottle. Choosing Belgium Wine Watchers also means you don’t have to wait needlessly for bottles that are left unsold on an auction.
Selling a wine cellar
Do you want to sell a complete wine cellar but don’t know where to start? The appraisers of Belgium Wine Watchers come by to identify the wines in your collection and make an inventory. Based on the inventory we make an expert report without obligations.
Do you want to sell everything at once? Not a problem. We offer you an extended price and take everything with us: from the most exclusive Grand Cru Classé to the little table wine.
A transparent approach
Maybe your wine isn’t worth a fortune yet it’s perfect to drink. Then we suggest you pop that cork and enjoy a great wine in solitude or in the company of friends. You can count on us for an honest appraisal and advice.
For each exclusive wine we offer you a fixed and fair price without hidden costs. At Belgium Wine Watchers you don’t pay transport costs nor insurance or a storage fee. Our price is your price.
Once you agree on selling to us, things can go fast and if you prefer very discrete. We set a date to pick up the wines and can even pay you 100% in cash. That’s right, you don’t have to wait for your money until we have found a new wine lover to treasure your wine.
Selling your exclusive wines to Belgium Wine Watchers has five important advantages that come with more profit for you:
1. You immediately receive your money in cash.
2. You don’t pay a commission fee.
3. You don’t pay insurance.
4. You don’t pay a storage fee.
5. You don’t pay any other hidden costs.
OUR PRICE = YOUR NET SALES PRICE
We believe a real successful sale is when you find someone that appreciates your wines and truly values them. We give you an accurate and honest estimation and take the time to explain the value of your wines. We respect your trust in us and handle your questions with discretion. So don’t hesitate to contact us for an appraisal.
Selling through an auction house
Due to economic reality most auction houses only accept larger wine collections that have been stored in ideal cellaring conditions. Some auction houses might demand that each lot of wine has an average minimum price. But this may vary as some specific wines have no minimum value. If you want to sell all or part of your wine cellar it might be tempting to sell it to an auction house. Yet this is not as easy as it may sound.
Do your homework
Before you approach an auction house you better do a little research yourself. Take a look online and see if you can find prices for your wines and check the current inventories of wine retailers. Can you find your wines? Have they been auctioned recently and how much did people pay? Is the condition of the auctioned bottle the same as yours? Was it a loose bottle or a complete case?
Don’t be blinded by the exuberant taxations and/or prices on the internet - in reality the truth is often different. Wine expertise is a considerable undertaking in which experience is crucial.
Get informed about the costs
Each auction house has its own policy and number of fees and commissions they charge you. The higher the costs, the lower the price you actually get for your collection. If your collection is large enough or of great value you might get to negotiate about the costs. Some costs to keep in mind:
- Appraisal fee
- Lotting fee
- Handling fee
- Storage fee
- Reserve price fee
- No sale fee
- Sellers commission
- Insurance
In case your wines don’t sell during an auction they might be presented at a next auction. This means you not only pay a ‘no sale fee’ but also an extra ‘storage fee’ and insurance. The longer your wines stay at an auction house, the higher the costs.
Also pay attention to when you want to sell your wines. Transporting wine during summer will cost more when high temperatures demand overnight shipping.
Choosing an auction house
Since you can negotiate about the costs it’s wise to shop around in order to get the best deal. Selecting an auction house is something you do after careful deliberation. Of course, this takes a lot of time. Time you rather want to spend on something more pleasant.
Whether your wine ends up in a live auction or an online auction, it’s alway a gamble: “Something is worth only what someone else is willing to pay for it.” When you’re lucky you end up with more than you expected but there’s also a chance you end up with less. On top of that you have to wait weeks, sometimes months, until the money actually reaches your pocket.
In conclusion
The wines you wish to sell through an auction house regularly end up in our hands. It’s a shame that the commission of the auction house doesn’t end up in your pocket.
Interested in an appraisal of your wine cellar? Contact us for more information or make an appointment. Send pictures and a list to info@belgiumwinewatchers.com
