Terms of Service

Last Updated: January 2025

Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Grand Wine's website, services, and advisory engagement. By accessing our website or engaging our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

Grand Wine operates as a private wine merchant and advisory house. We are not a retail shop, auction house, or financial services firm. Our services are provided on a bespoke, advisory basis to qualified clients.

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or services.

Definitions

"Grand Wine," "we," "us," "our" refers to the Grand Wine advisory practice and its principals.

"Client," "you," "your" refers to individuals or entities engaging our services or accessing our website.

"Services" refers to wine acquisition advisory, sourcing, portfolio management, and related consulting services.

"Advisory Agreement" refers to formal engagement agreements between Grand Wine and clients, which supersede these general Terms for specific services.

Services Overview

Nature of Services

Grand Wine provides:

  • Wine acquisition advisory and market intelligence
  • Rare and allocated wine sourcing
  • Investment portfolio strategy and management
  • Provenance verification and authentication services
  • Storage, logistics, and insurance coordination

We do not operate as a retail wine shop or maintain public inventory.

Advisory Relationship

Our services are advisory in nature. We:

  • Provide recommendations based on market knowledge and client objectives
  • Source wines through estate relationships and private networks
  • Act as agent on behalf of clients (we do not take ownership of wines)
  • Charge advisory fees and service fees, not retail markups

All specific engagements are governed by formal Advisory Agreements.

Client Eligibility & Suitability

Qualified Clients Only

Grand Wine's services are designed for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional collectors who:

Suitability Assessment

We reserve the right to decline potential clients if we determine that:

Important Disclaimers

No Guaranteed Returns

Wine is not a regulated financial instrument. We do not guarantee, promise, or project specific returns on wine investments. Past performance of wine markets or specific estates does not guarantee future results. Wine values can decline as well as appreciate.

Market Risk

Wine markets are subject to economic conditions, critical opinion, collector preferences, and other variables beyond our control. Prices can be volatile, particularly for smaller-production wines. Liquidity can be limited, especially during market downturns.

Provenance & Authentication

While we implement rigorous verification procedures, no authentication method is infallible. Counterfeit wines exist. We do our best to verify provenance but cannot guarantee authenticity with absolute certainty. Clients accept residual authentication risk.

Storage & Condition Risk

Proper storage is essential to preserve wine value. We coordinate climate-controlled storage but do not operate storage facilities ourselves. Clients are responsible for maintaining insurance and ensuring proper storage conditions. We are not liable for storage facility failures or wine condition deterioration.

Not Financial Advice

Grand Wine provides wine advisory services, not financial planning or investment advice as defined by securities regulations. We are not registered financial advisors. Clients should consult their own financial advisors, tax professionals, and legal counsel regarding the suitability of wine investment for their specific circumstances.

No Inventory Representations

Wine examples and historical deliveries referenced on our website are illustrative only. They do not constitute current inventory, offers for sale, or guarantees of availability. All acquisitions are subject to market conditions and allocation availability.

Fees & Payment Terms

Fee Structure

Grand Wine charges:

  • Advisory Retainers: Annual fees for ongoing counsel and market access
  • Acquisition Fees: Service fees based on transaction value and complexity
  • Project Fees: Fixed fees for specific services (cellar audits, valuations)

Specific fees are disclosed in Advisory Agreements before engagement.

Payment Terms

Payment requirements:

  • Advisory retainers are typically paid annually in advance
  • Wine acquisition payments are due upon confirmation of availability
  • Payment is required before wines are shipped or transferred to client storage
  • We accept wire transfers and, for established clients, may offer other payment methods

We do not offer financing or installment payment plans.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

Grand Wine, its principals, and advisors shall not be liable for:

  • Wine market declines or failure of wines to appreciate in value
  • Counterfeits that pass reasonable authentication procedures
  • Storage facility failures, natural disasters, or force majeure events
  • Changes in tax treatment, import regulations, or duty structures
  • Third-party failures (producers, logistics, storage, insurance)
  • Consequential, indirect, incidental, or punitive damages

Maximum Liability: In any event, Grand Wine's total liability shall not exceed the fees paid by the client for the specific service giving rise to the claim.

This limitation does not apply to liability that cannot be excluded by law (e.g., fraud, gross negligence).

Intellectual Property

All content on Grand Wine's website—text, images, logos, design elements—is owned by Grand Wine or licensed for our use. This includes:

You may view and download website content for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not:

Confidentiality

Grand Wine maintains strict confidentiality of all client information, as detailed in our Confidentiality Statement and Privacy Policy.

Clients agree to:

Termination

Client Termination

Clients may terminate advisory relationships at any time with written notice. Advisory retainers are typically non-refundable once services commence, though we may provide partial refunds at our discretion based on services rendered.

Grand Wine Termination

We reserve the right to terminate advisory relationships if:

Upon termination, we will provide documentation of holdings, assist with transition to other advisors if requested, and return any prepaid fees on a pro-rata basis (at our discretion).

Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution

In the event of any dispute, clients agree to first contact Dr. Von Draxler to seek informal resolution. Most disagreements can be resolved through professional discussion.

Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration rather than litigation. Arbitration shall be conducted:

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales (for European clients) or the laws of the jurisdiction specified in the Advisory Agreement.

General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with any Advisory Agreement and our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Grand Wine regarding our services, superseding any prior agreements or understandings.

Modifications

We may update these Terms periodically. Material changes will be communicated to active clients. Continued use of services after changes constitutes acceptance of updated Terms.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full effect.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision or our right to enforce it in the future.

Assignment

You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations to affiliated entities or successors.

Questions About These Terms

For questions regarding these Terms of Service or to discuss engagement terms, please contact:

Dr. Ivan Von Draxler, PhD

Sales Director