Reserves storage invoices 2010-11 & new features

11/07/11

New online price information
Since its launch a little over two years ago, the latest Uncorked^® website has provided you with details of wines you have in storage with us, including order and invoice numbers, purchase price and date, stock location and duty status, and maturity. By popular demand, and no expense spared, we're about to augment that with independent wine price information. Our website developers are currently working on providing best UK list price and recent transaction values for around 2,000 of our customer reserves stock lines - about 80% of the total - from London-based fine wine exchange Liv-ex, the world's leading independent provider of fine wine market information. The cost to you, our customer, will be precisely nothing, and the information will be updated automatically every month as it becomes available. Time-consuming cellar valuations will be a thing of the past: when the service launches (anticipated early August), purchase prices and current values will be available to view, side-by-side, for better, for worse, whenever you like. And you can continue to use the website to search your reserves, view previous orders, order status and delivery proofs, and outstanding invoices (click here to log in, using the email address to which this has been sent).

Storage rates 2010-11
At the end of July we shall be issuing storage invoices for stock held in the UK on behalf of customers (no storage charges apply prior to shipment). Storage is charged annually in arrears. For the second year running, there are no changes to our rates:

Volume rate: £8.40 ex VAT per standard (9 litre) case per year or part year for 25 cases+
Standard rate: £9.60 ex VAT per standard (9 litre) case per year or part year for 5 to 24 cases
Starter rate: £12.00 ex VAT per standard (9 litre) case per year or part year for fewer than 5 cases

Our rates are proportionate to the actual volume stored. For instance, a 6-bottle case is charged at £4.20 on our volume rate; one magnum at £1.40. And all deliveries from reserves are charged at the same competitive rates as new purchases.

Please let us know immediately if you have stock in storage with us in the UK which you would like transferred elsewhere or delivered

Receipt of external stock
We are happy to consolidate stock on behalf of customers. An administrative fee of £5 plus VAT per stock line is charged for the receipt of external stock onto our system. Our usual storage charges apply thereafter. We shall not be held responsible for the quality of stock purchased from third parties.

Vinotheque
Customer reserves are based at Vinotheque in Burton-upon-Trent, acquired by London City Bond in 2004. According to independent research (Professional wine storage in the UK, 11 September 2008, jancisrobinson.com), temperatures range from 11 to 15°C (but with no sudden changes), and humidity is in the range of 61-67%. Storage and security conditions at this Victorian, grade II-listed, former brewery grain store, with metre-thick walls, controlled air flow and natural light shuttering, are second to none. Our normal rates apply for deliveries, which benefit from London City Bond's award-winning logistics, transport and distribution system.

Uncorked customer reserves code of practice
· Stock ring-fenced from Uncorked trading stock
· Stock documented to identify individual customer ownership
· Reserves statements available at any time without charge
· Stock available for inspection
· 'All Risks' insurance included to full replacement value
· Stock removed only with written permission

Help
Finally, despite the technological innovation of the last few years, never forget we're a small company of only six people and we're here to help. We don't outsource our administration and we certainly don't employ call centres, and each one of us is intimately involved with the product. Yes, even our IT man. So if you require any help, just drop in to our Bishopsgate shop or give us a call on the number below. /AR