Although excessive libations are historically known as a pretty sure way to lose money, fine wine is increasingly being seen as a serious investment and GoldFinger is pleased to report that - thanks to a new online portal - trading in the vinous stuff is no longer the preserve of the cognoscenti.

Richard Dawes Fine Wine, a UK-based wholesale wine trader, has teamed up with Liv-ex, the fine wine exchange, to offer private clients the opportunity to trade the Liv-ex 100. Previously, dealing on this fine wine index was open only to merchants and professional traders, but now Richard Dawes Fine Wine will be running a live trading page linked to Liv-ex.

Through this collaboration Richard Dawes Fine Wine and Liv-ex are aiming to transform the fine wine industry by giving private customers an accessible way to buy fine wine at merchant prices. To make this deal even more palatable, Richard Dawes Fine is charging a 10 per cent flat rate commission on all transactions.

While owning a case of 1989 Petrus has a certain cachet in its own right, tax efficiencies, inherent rarity value and decorrelation from other asset classes make fine wine investment a fruity little number for a whole range of investors.