Wine Investment Challenge 2001 – results

Fine wine merchant Robert Rolls has entered into the spirit of Wine Relief in a particularly clever and intriguing way, by instituting the Wine Investment Challenge. He presents a list of fine wines from which a notional £5000 portfolio can be assembled in the Financial Times (and presumably to anyone who emails him). Those who want to take part send him their list of wines they think will appreciate the most over the next two years, together with a cheque to £15 made out to 'Comic Relief (Wine Relief)'.

His first Investment Challenge was instituted for Comic Relief 2001 so he is now able to announce the results of the Wine Investment Challenge 2001. A total of 80 people tried their hand (raising £1200 for Wine Relief – good but I'm sure we can do better this year). The average gain of those 80 wine portfolios was 6.25 per cent of which

  • 20 per cent averaged +14 per cent
  • 70 per cent averaged + 5.5 per cent
  • 10 per cent averaged – 2 per cent

The FTSE 100 over the same period (January 2001 to January 2003) lost 35.5 per cent so wine looks a pretty good investment – though I wonder whether it will prove to be such a good one over the next two years.

The winner of the 2001 Challenge is Antony Hichens from Dorset (whose portfolio rose by 23 per cent) who wins £1000 worth of wine from Robert Rolls.

In second place is Michael Rapp of London (21 per cent) who wins £500 worth of wine and in third place Bruce Ingraham of Middlesbrough (18 per cent) wins £250 worth of wine.

Here are the fascinating results of the 2001 Challenge – Italy, Burgundy, and less expensive Bordeaux fared best.






Results of the FT Wine Investment Challenge 2001








Cost per case in £ 2001 2003
% Increase





1999 Calon Ségur 160 210
24
1999 Lynch Bages 245 275
11
1998 Haut Brion 1300 1350
4
1998 Quinault L'Enclos 440 410
-7
1998 Talbot 165 205
20
1996 Cantemerle 160 174
8
1995 Montrose 360 380
5
1990 Gruaud Larose 560 600
7
1990 Pape Clement 600 650
8
1989 Palmer 1080 995
-8
1989 Léoville Barton 540 555
3
1986 Pichon Lalande 960 840
-12
1982 Beychevelle 740 695
-6
1983 D'Yquem 1960 2125
8
1999 Chassagne Montrachet, Niellon 190 225
16
1999 Bâtard Montrachet, Paul Pernot 600 720
17
1998 Chambolle Musigny, Hubert Lignier 185 185
0
1999 Clos Vougeot, Robert Arnoux 440 560
21
1995 Côte Rôtie Brune et Blonde, Guigal 220 240
8
1998 Hermitage La Sizeranne 360 325
-9
1998 Hermitage La Chapelle 480 434
-9
1990 Beaucastel 720 765
6
1990 Dom Perignon 640 682
6
1997 Barbaresco Gaja 660 828
20
1997 Sassicaia 1050 1130
7
1995 Amarone Classico Allegrini 240 370
35
1994 Dominus 1160 1275
9
1985 Graham 395 395
0





Overall % increase:


7





So now's the time to enter the 2003 Challenge (which this time includes some Australian wine). Just contact Robert Rolls (tel 020 7606 1166, mail@rollswine.com) and ask for an application form, or cut it out of the FT on 22 March. Surely this year we can manage to raise more for Comic Relief than it's costing Rolls to run this intriguing competition.