Storage search
The UK offers many solutions for those seeking in-bond wine storage, but I can’t find anything in France. Does anyone offer these services? Thomas Couper-Edwards, London
Jane Anson replies: Private EU citizens can’t use bonded warehouses in France, if the aim is for their own personal consumption of the wine at some point. There are a few places that companies or individuals from outside the EU can use to store wine in-bond. One of the most high profile for both trade and international private collectors is called Bordeaux City Bond (www.bordeauxcitybond.com), which has the same secure conditions and guaranteed traceability as other international bonded warehouses, although as a private individual you must not be resident full time in Europe for tax purposes. Others, such as Dartess Fine Wines, cater only to the wine trade, although may also offer options for sizeable private collectors based outside the EU (www.dartess. fr/en/metier-dartess/logistics). And then there are fully insured wine storage solutions, although not bonded warehouses, near Paris, like Garde Vins (www.garde-vins.com), Chemin des Vignes (www.chemindesvignes.fr), and Les Chais de France – this one for private clients only (www.leschaisdefrance.com). It’s worth noting that if Britain were to end up leaving the EU, its residents would become eligible to store their wine under bond in France.
David Hogg adds: Any UK resident, or indeed overseas resident (both within and outside the EU) can hold a private account directly with a UK bonded warehouse. London City Bond has more than 6,500 such customers from more than 70 countries dealing with them directly. However, such customers also have the option of storing their wines via a merchant from whom they have bought the wines (provided they offer such a service). This can often be at lower rates than dealing directly with a bonded warehouse, but it does mean they must conduct any transactions via the merchant in whose account the wines are being stored, and, it may preclude them from storing wine sourced via other merchants. Insurance should also be taken into account – has the merchant got sufficient cover in place? And what happens if the merchant were to go out of business?