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Howard Helfant: Beginner Tips for Starting a Wine Collection



For most of his life, Howard Helfant has collected wines from different regions of the world. He appreciates the process that goes into identifying a good wine and preserving it for years. His private cellar boasts some quality wine – the results of years of research and sound investment decisions.

If you decide to start a wine collection, it’s important to have a clear objective? Are you collecting for personal consumption, or as an investment strategy? The latter has become popular with many people, as good wine falls in the collector market segment of valuables such as art and vintage cars.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Some wines age well, others don’t
The real fun is in seeing how the wine develops over time, which requires you to do some research on which ones have aging potential. 

Invest in a proper cellar
Wine requires delicate handling, which calls for a particular storage environment (a basement). Cellars tend to be cool and humid, an unusual combination if you plan on turning your basement into one (think mold problems or moisture in the home’s foundation). Good cellars tend to be well insulated and detached.

Have the collection appraised
On a regular basis, have the wine collection appraised, so you have a record of the value of your stock. Having this record also ensures faster recovery in case of an accident such as fire to the cellar. 

If it’s too good to be true …
“Wine is an easy collectible to fake,” Howard Helfant points out. “Don’t be misled. Do your homework, but don’t shy from good deals when you see them.”

Follow Howard Helfant at Twitter: https://twitter.com/helfanthoward
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