How to buy right

Buy from reputable merchants with clear provenance documentation. The merchant's responsibility for the storage conditions of wines they are selling should be explicit and verifiable. For en primeur, buy only from merchants who are financially sound and have clear delivery commitments. The en primeur market has produced merchant failures that left collectors with paid-for wine that was never delivered

For auction purchases, read the provenance notes carefully. Reputable houses describe storage conditions honestly and flag any concerns. For private purchases, request as much provenance documentation as possible and apply additional scepticism accordingly.

CollectorGrade take

Temperature stability during storage is the most critical variable in wine quality over time. Ask every seller about storage conditions. A merchant who cannot tell you how their wine was stored is a merchant whose wine is a speculative purchase.