Is Vinovest Safe to Invest With? What You Should Know

In this guide, we’ll assess the safety of Vinovest, a fine wine and rare whiskey investing platform that enables everyday investors to venture into the traditionally exclusive sector. We will start by providing a brief overview of how the platform functions, the safety measures it takes to protect your assets, as well as how it’s regulated.

About Vinovest 

Vinovest offers a managed account with four different tiers with varying fee structures and benefits (according to the money you wish to invest) for users who prefer a more hands-off long-term strategy and a trading account for investors already acquainted with investment-grade wine:

• Managed account tiers: Starter, Plus, Premium, and Grand Cru; 
• Trading account: The Vinovest Marketplace. 

How does Vinovest work?

Here are the steps to building a tailored portfolio of investment-grade wines or rare whiskey with Vinovest:

• Step 1: Create an account: You can start investing with Vinovest without any prior experience in fine wine or whiskey investing. Simply provide them with your basic information, or log in via Google or Apple, and you’ll be set to go. Vinovest will also ask a few questions about your goals, risk appetite, and investment timeframe to tailor a portfolio that suits your unique criteria;
• Step 2: Deposit money: After you create an account with Vinovest, you’ll need to fund your account. Vinovest requires an initial deposit of at least $1,750 for whiskey or $5,000 for wine investing;
• Step 3: Let Vinovest build your portfolio: Vinovest’s master sommeliers will use proprietary algorithms to look for the best wines for your portfolio. These wines will be sourced directly from wineries, wine exchanges, and merchants, ensuring greater market transparency and fair market value. For whiskey, Vinovest partners with the Glenor Cask Company and EthanolUS to source Scotch and American whiskeys, respectively;
• Step 4: Monitor your portfolio: With real-time access, you can effortlessly monitor your portfolio’s growth and make informed decisions about potential adjustments;
• Step 5: Sell your wine/whiskey: Vinovest will notify you when your wines or whiskey casks have reached their optimal selling point by tracking their maturity date, which coincides with their peak value. Although most clients choose to sell at this peak, you can also drink (since you outright own the bottles) or continue storing your wine and whiskey.

How does Vinovest safeguard your assets?

Vinovest safeguards your wine and whiskey investments by implementing a range of measures to ensure their proper storage and protection, including:

• Authentication: Vinovest verifies the provenance of each bottle and cask before incorporating it into your portfolio;
• Storage – Your wine is stored in bonded warehouses across the world, including France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the United States, and scotch and whiskey in Scotland and the US, respectively, and feature full climate control, on-site security, and round-the-clock CCTV surveillance; 
• Insurance: Vinovest offers an all-inclusive third-party insurance policy for its clients. In the event of damage caused by improper handling or a natural disaster, you will be compensated for the complete current market value of the affected bottles. For most scotch, the insurance policy is similarly contingent on the current market value of the cask, which is evaluated annually. In certain instances, the casks are fully insured against the initial buying price and undergo biannual appraisals. However, when it comes to American whiskey, the insurance policy is based on the initial acquisition cost;
• Proof of ownership: Vinovest issues ownership certificates whenever you add wine to your portfolio, serving as legal evidence that you are the exclusive owner of the bottles. To access your ownership certificates, navigate to the “Activity” tab within your managed account dashboard. You also have the option to request Vinovest to professionally photograph the wine in your portfolio for a fee of $30 per case (this charge is waived for Premium and Grand Cru clients).

Regulatory compliance 

As Vinovest does not deal in securities, it is not subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Nevertheless, according to its website, the company undergoes several audits annually by insurance providers and a third-party auditor that works with bonded warehouses.

Vinovest has received a B+ from Better Business Bureau (BBB), meeting BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good-faith effort to resolve consumer complaints. You can access Vnovest’s business profile on BBB here. 

Vinovest’s customer support

To effectively tackle customer issues and provide a seamless user experience, Vinovest presents a variety of support avenues, including:

• Vinovest FAQs: Find everything from account setup to Vinovest’s fee structure;
• Submit a request: Didn’t find the answer from the FAQs, submit a request for further assistance (open to all account holders);
• Email: You can contact Vinovest by emailing [email protected]; you can expect a response after 48 hours;
• Vinovest blog: Educational articles on wine and whiskey investing, the latest news from the wine and whiskey industry, as well as articles exploring different wine or whiskey types and regions;
• Privacy policy: The Privacy Notice details the kinds of information Vinovest may collect when you access the site, how this data is used, the entities it might be shared with, and the precautions taken to protect it;
• Terms and conditions: The terms and conditions constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Vinovest concerning your use of the website and the services offered on Vinovest’s platform;
• Accessibility: Vinovest adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level A and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that their website is accessible to all, including those with visual, motor, and cognitive disabilities. If you experience difficulties accessing content on their website, you may contact Vinovest via email at [email protected];
• Social media channels: To stay up-to-date with the latest developments and engage in dynamic interactions between the platform and its community, explore Vinovest’s social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn; 
• Vinovest community: Users can join an online community dedicated to wine and whiskey investing, where they can discuss, learn, and network with other Vinovest users. 

Vinovest Review – is Vinovest trustworthy?

Vinovest is a verified company on Trustpilot.com with an “Average” rating of 3.6 stars and more than 160 reviews (as of April 2023). Of these, 69% are 5-star ratings, and a further 8% are four stars, making 78% of reviews highly positive.

Reviewers on Trustpilot frequently praise the platform’s accessible and user-friendly interface, comprehensive educational resources, and community program—many of the grievances shared concern over liquidation, slow customer support, and excessive fees. 

In conclusion 

In conclusion, Vinovest can be considered a reliable investment platform providing a straightforward, swift, and transparent solution for the traditionally complex and elite world of wine and whiskey investing. What sets Vinovest apart is that investors don’t just buy into some abstract notion of wine or whiskey investing; they actually own the physical bottles of wine or casks of whiskey, giving them a tangible asset to hold onto. 

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk. 

FAQs about Vinovest’s safety