WineFi opens fine wine investment to younger and broader investors with technology-driven platform

WineFi, a London-based fintech startup, is changing the way people invest in fine wine. Founded in 2023 by Callum Woodcock, a former asset manager, and his longtime collaborator Oliver Thorpe, the company aims to make wine investment more accessible and transparent. Traditionally, investing in fine wine has been reserved for wealthy collectors and industry insiders. The process is often complex, with high entry costs, opaque fees, and risks related to provenance and storage. WineFi’s founders saw these barriers as an opportunity to open the market to a broader audience.

The company offers two main ways for clients to invest. The first is a syndicate model that allows investors to start with as little as £3,000 (about $3,800). Through this model, individuals can buy into curated portfolios focused on themes like Italian wines or Champagne. These portfolios are assembled by WineFi’s investment committee using market data and analysis of vintage trends. The syndicate approach pools investor funds, giving participants access to a wider range of wines than they could afford on their own.

For more experienced investors, WineFi provides a private client service. This option allows clients to build bespoke portfolios tailored to their preferences. In both cases, investors retain full ownership of the wines, which are stored under their names at Coterie Vaults, a government-bonded facility in the UK. This arrangement ensures that wines are kept in optimal conditions and remain outside the UK’s value-added tax regime until sold or delivered.

WineFi’s platform is built on proprietary technology that analyzes over 18 million data points across more than 100,000 wines. The system evaluates risk-adjusted return potential based on historical prices, critic scores, liquidity, and other factors. Acquisition costs are benchmarked using data from Liv-ex and Wine-Searcher to ensure transparency. Every portfolio undergoes qualitative review by internal experts and external advisors such as Peter Lunzer, who previously managed one of the world’s largest wine funds.

Clients can track their holdings in real time through an online dashboard that shows valuations and performance metrics. Unlike traditional wine merchants who may hide fees within product prices, WineFi itemizes all charges for sourcing, brokerage, insurance, and storage. The standard fee structure is 12.5% upfront—equivalent to 2.5% per year over five years—which covers all services except for additional storage beyond that period.

WineFi emphasizes third-party validation for all aspects of its operation. Regular audits are conducted to verify asset segregation and storage conditions. The company does not hold inventory itself, reducing conflicts of interest that have sometimes plagued the industry.

Since its launch last year, WineFi has attracted attention from both high-net-worth individuals and established players in the wine trade. The company recently raised £1.5 million ($2 million) in seed funding from SFC Capital and Founders Capital in a round led by Coterie Holdings. Notable board members include Shilen Patel of Lucky Saint and NICE, Jonathan Keeling formerly of Crowdcube, and Michael Saunders of Coterie Holdings.

The average age of a WineFi investor is 38—almost twenty years younger than the typical fine wine buyer. Many are digital-native investors who see wine as both a tangible asset and a conversation piece. For this group, owning shares in Grand Cru Burgundy or Super Tuscans offers cultural cachet alongside potential financial returns.

Wine investment remains an unregulated asset class with inherent risks such as illiquidity and price fluctuations. However, WineFi’s approach reflects broader trends in alternative investing. Technology is making it easier for individuals to access markets once limited to specialists or the ultra-wealthy. According to Preqin research cited by the company, nearly $30 trillion could be allocated to alternative assets by 2030.

WineFi reported strong early growth with seven-figure revenues and an average monthly growth rate of 24%. The company is now focused on scaling its operations while maintaining high standards of customer service. New features under development include benchmarking tools and long-term performance tracking for investors.

Looking ahead, WineFi is exploring blockchain technology through a partnership with Lympid to enable fractional ownership and improve traceability in wine transactions. The founders believe tokenization could further expand access to fine wine investment.

Woodcock says that bringing new capital into the fine wine market benefits everyone involved—from producers to logistics providers—and helps grow the overall market rather than simply dividing existing business among more players.

As interest in alternative assets continues to rise among younger investors seeking diversification beyond stocks or crypto, platforms like WineFi are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of wine investment.