Fine wine sales boom

SALES of fine wine and whisky in the UK jumped 32pc in April, according to wine merchant BI.

The boom in expensive bottles is thanks to increasing interest from investors, and comes despite the closure of restaurants and bars across the country.

The rise has been driven by Italian and American wines, which have seen sales grow by 38pc and 50pc respectively in the first four months of the year.

Whisky sales have grown 110pc, with the price of top whiskies seeing gains of almost 10pc so far in 2020.

BI, which is based in Hatton Garden in central London, generated £3.4m of profit in 2018, on sales of £96.4m, according to its most recent filings.