During recent years, global stock markets have been in turmoil. Bond yields are often flat. Money market funds barely keep pace with inflation. Nearly every country on Earth has suffered some level of financial crisis, currency crisis, public debt crisis, real estate bust, or other economic trouble. Where is an investor supposed to turn in the search for higher yields?

While there is no such thing as a “risk free” investment, and prices of wine can go down as well as up, for the most part the global fine wine market has seen steady, growing demand for even the highest priced investment grade wines. Wine investing predominantly attracts an exclusive demographic of affluent, sophisticated investors who are largely immune from the difficulties affecting the rest of the financial system.

Investment grade wine is a prestigious symbol of status that transcends the boundaries of language, nationality and culture. As emerging economies like China, India and Brazil continue their stratospheric growth, it is expected that newly affluent investors and high net worth individuals from these and other countries will continue to add to the demand for the world’s most sought-after investment grade wines.