Whenever we buy wine, whether from private clients or global players in the fine wine trade, we always ensure a Condition Report is produced. This allows us to check the quality of each individual bottle of wine, and means that JF Tobias, as well as each of our clients, can buy and sell in complete confidence.
Whilst this adds a little bit of time to the overall process of selling wine, we believe it is worth it, for both our clients who wish to sell and those who wish to buy. Whilst not everyone has them produced, we believe they are a fantastic way to increase transparency within the fine wine market.
What is a Condition Report?
When a wine is delivered to the warehouse and our account, we will ask for a condition report to be produced for each wine. This is a high-resolution photograph taken by one of our experts at LCB Vinothèque, of the bottles and their packaging, whether an original wooden case or non-original cardboard. We will then review each of these on a wine by wine basis, ensuring the condition of each.
How long does a Condition Report take to complete?
As soon as your wine lands into our account, we will request a Condition Report. Once requested, they take between two to five working days to be returned to us, and we will review them the same day that they are returned. Once we have completed these, you will receive an e-mail confirmation detailing the results.
Why is a Condition Report necessary?
The market price for a given wine within the fine wine market is always set on the proviso that it is in perfect condition. Fine wines are bought and sold on this expectation. A condition report is necessary as it allows us to make sure that the wine is perfect, and means that we can sell it on to our clients with complete confidence. We are trusted to provide the best service to all, and a Condition Report is a necessary step in our ensuring this.
What are we looking for in a Condition Report?
At JF Tobias, we follow precise inspection guidelines when reviewing Condition Reports. Whilst some issues are purely aesthetic, others may suggest a fault with the wine within the bottle. Of course, with older vintages, some wear and tear is to be expected and is always taken into consideration. We have detailed more about our inspection guidelines here, so you know exactly what we are looking for. All wine sold through JF Tobias is assessed against them.
Condition Report FAQs
Do I have to pay for a Condition Report?
No, absolutely not. All the costs related to selling your wine, whether collection, transportation, or condition reports, are completely covered by JF Tobias.
If I already have condition reports will another one need to be produced?
In most instances, we will still request that another condition report is produced. This is because we need to ensure that the wine is as stated, and to also confirm the wine is still in the same condition since as when the last condition report was produced.
My wine is not in a bonded warehouse, how will you produce a Condition Report?
With all duty paid wine, or cases not stored in a bonded warehouse, we will arrange for collection and have them sent to our warehouse. Once the wines have been transferred to our account we will request a condition report. We may sometimes request that you send us a photo before we arrange collection, to provide us with a rough guideline as to the condition of your wine.
