Sergio Esposito Bottled Asset Fund invests on Italian wines

Sergio Esposito is an importer of Italian wines in the United States, a collector and an investor. CEO of Italian Wine Merchants, New York company, with over one hundred thousand bottles in the catalog. He has created Bottled Asset Fund, an investment fund in big wines. In recent days, has purchased 7 thousand bottles of Brunello di Montalcino Biondi Santi, with vintages ranging from 1945 to 1975 the value of which is estimated at 4 million Euros

She finished in the United States is not by accident. When it began its adventure ambassador of Italian wine in the States?

“After returning from my last trip to Italy, I opened with my father and my brother a wine shop in Albany, the state capital of New York. After a year of operation, I moved to Manhattan where I worked for a large distribution company, House of Burgundy, as a sales and where every day tasted great wines: Chateau St. George, Domain Ott, Special Reserve Mondavi, Opus One. But the wines of Burgundy left me always a little ‘disappointed. I decided to work for the restaurant Tony May, San Domenico, where after a short time, it became a sommelier to devote myself completely to Italian wines. “What difficulties encountered Italian wines?

“San Domenico was the first restaurant in America to offer the true Italian cuisine with the largest selection of Italian wines. In the 90s, in fact, Italian wine was for the most part ignored in the United States and this could be seen especially in the distribution channels. Find historical vintages of wines was almost impossible. “

French wines made from the master?

“They had anything appeal. The truth was that the Americans underestimated Italian producers, thinking that they could not provide the truly great wines. The Italian was considered especially by the media and critics do not yet up to offer collectible wines. “

Then things changed?

“Today there is a willingness of Americans to want to trust also of Italian wines. In recent years, our wines have experienced much success in the United States. Thanks to the work that we have done by offering Barolo, Amarone and Brunelli of historical vintages of great entrepreneurs and commendable that Italian Wines that have invested in quality, on exports and marketing. At the level of perception of the product in the market now our largest manufacturers vie for the top spots with those of the great French fashion houses. “

Speaking of wines for investment, Italy can compete with France, which is a giant?

“In truth, despite having grown up in the consideration and appreciation International Italian wine is still not recognized as an investment. It ‘a shame. “

Why?

“Manufacturers make a few bottles of great wines and sell all vintages. You will not find many cases around, large bottles perfectly preserved that demonstrate the ability to age over time. What do they have that the French, for example, in Bordeaux, also produce 35 thousand cases of the most important wines, while in Italy we are usually between 10 and 20 thousand crates. And then have the marketing that creates a story every time one of these big bottle is uncorked or auctioned. But I am convinced that in Italy there are wines that age 50, 70 years and even more, produced in regions such as Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, but also in the South, I think in particular to Sicily. “

What do you propose to do with his investment fund?

“Bringing capital to Italy to buy big games of top wines directly from producers, in the basement, where there is the certainty of perfect preservation, and where there is the purchase price, which then becomes reliable and recognizable in the trading market and trade. “

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