In the world of fine wine investment, knowledge and access are everything. The most discerning collectors know that building world-class collections requires world-class advice. The 2025 edition of the index highlights advisers who understand not only markets and vintages but also the nuanced tastes of their clients. Whether it’s selling a multi-million-pound portfolio, setting up a private tasting or advising on the best fit for an investor’s collection, our advisers can guide clients through what it takes to become a true oenophile.
Most clients, even those HNWs with an oenological inclination, seek education on the topic, particularly at the pre-purchase stage. Advisers can arrange exclusive tastings, set up meetings with off-the-beaten-path producers and offer guidance on which vintages best complement a portfolio. In doing so, they provide clients with the confidence that their investment is the right fit for them.
Finding the right adviser as an HNW can be challenging. Experience and connections within the industry are essential qualities. Some of those featured have undertaken rigorous qualifications over a gruelling three-year period of blind tastings and assessments to become a Master of Wine (MW). Simon Larkin of Atlas Fine Wines, a consulting firm with deep market knowledge, is among the few people in the world to achieve this elite status.
[See also: Prince Robert of Luxembourg on writing, wine and family]
Beyond education, clients also look for advisers who can induct them into the culture of wine collecting, a world that can rival even the most exclusive old boys’ clubs. From a private tasting event at the Miami Grand Prix to a ‘drink like Bond’ event featuring all the wines from the books and movies, Douglas Blyde tells Spear’s that personalised experiences are key: ‘There’s got to be a takeaway, I mean a literal take away. There’s always got to be a fantastic goody bag. I always get the bottles signed by the producers.’
A small number of advisers on our list specialise in selling collections within the world’s most prestigious auction houses: Christie’s, Bonhams and Sotheby’s. In 2025, Tim Triptree, Christie’s international director of wine and spirits, oversaw the sale of rare wines from the iconic Le Gavroche restaurant’s cellar, fetching nearly £2 million. ‘The market for rare wines is still very strong,’ he says. ‘Christie’s strength is presenting fantastic wines that have an incredible provenance history behind them.’
When Spear’s sat down with this year’s leading advisers, two clear trends emerged in the sector: the rise of new audiences in the Middle East and the growing impact of climate change.
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Advisers across the board report increased interest from the Middle East, both from expats who have relocated to the region and locals who are expanding their investment horizons. Hugo McMullen, a new addition to this year’s rankings, is spearheading Goedhuis Waddesdon’s expansion into Bahrain. He looks after the wine needs of family offices, tech entrepreneurs and royalty, hosting multiple events per year in the country, which is a popular weekend escape for those in surrounding countries seeking respite from their country’s strict prohibition laws. McMullen tells Spear’s that this emerging demographic of collectors tends to favour traditional producers, buy drinkable vintages and place strong importance on provenance.
The climate crisis is also increasingly relevant for fine wine lovers. Rising summer temperatures and flash floods not only affect crop yields but also threaten the integrity of wine cellars. More and more, advisers are educating clients on the correct storage and ideal conditions to house their collections. Sebastian Riley-Smith’s team at Smith & Taylor have developed systems to counter monsoon-like downpours in the UK, which are causing damage to residential cellars and necessitating the removal, revaluation and relocation of collections.
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- Methodology
- The best wine advisers: some names to know
- The best wine advisers: the complete list
- Contact us
Methodology
Each year, the Spear’s Research Unit reassesses and refreshes its rankings of the leading providers in each sector by gathering data from and about the advisers and firms themselves, assessing submission forms, collating nominations, carrying out peer reviews, reviewing data from third-party sources, gathering references and recommendations, canvassing experts and conducting hundreds of interviews.
Advisers are evaluated using a proprietary scoring system that assigns different weightings to certain attributes. These scores feed directly into each new set of rankings in the Spear’s Indices. Each of these indices are published first online (according to the research calendar) and then in print. Print publication takes the form of the annual Spear’s 500 directory, which includes the top advisers in every index.
[See also: A guide to The Spear’s 500: Everything you need to know]
Each featured adviser is profiled on spears500.com. The site allows users to search the Spear’s database of more than 4,000 entities to find one (or more) to meet their specific requirements by filtering for specific attributes such as an adviser’s location, their specialist expertise and information about their client base.
The best wine advisers: some names to know
Simon Larkin
- Focus: Fine wine collections
- Ranking: Top Recommended
- Firm: Atlas Fine Wines
Simon Larkin, Master of Wine, spent 14 years advising HNWs on their fine wine collections before establishing Atlas Fine Wines in 2010.
The firm provides private clients who are seeking expert advice on collecting wines with deep market knowledge and an international network. ‘Part of our niche is always being available on the telephone and happy to meet with clients. Whatever requirement the client has, we’re happy to satisfy it,’ Larkin tells Spear’s. Such requirements include recommendations of wine for pleasure and analysing market trends for the investment-driven buyers.
Read Simon Larkin’s full profile on Spears500.com
Patrick O’Connor
- Focus: Online wine marketplace
- Ranking: Top Recommended
- Firm: Fine & Rare Wines
Since becoming one of the wine industry’s youngest CEOs at 40, Patrick O’Connor has kept the Fine + Rare online marketplace thriving.
The firm’s platform allows users to buy, sell and store their bottles around the world seamlessly, and its ability to track and scour the marketplace to source and gauge demand is unique. ‘This gives collectors incredible access,’ says O’Connor. ’It’s our job to make sure they can search, while we curate to offer them the wines that they’re looking for.’
Read Patrick O’Connor’s full profile on Spears500.com
Tim Triptree
- Focus: International wine auctions
- Ranking: Top Recommended
- Firm: Christie’s
Master of Wine Tim Triptree is international director of wine and spirits at Christie’s, where he curates, plans and executes its slate of global auctions. Based in London, Triptree is also focused on developing relationships with his clientele, sourcing consignments and hosting events and masterclasses.
With 20 years of experience at the company, he has overseen a number of important sales, including the record-breaking auction of a case of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1988 that fetched £288,000 in 2018.
Read Tim Triptree’s full profile on Spears500.com
The best wine advisers: the complete list
Click on the individual names to be directed to more detailed profiles of each adviser on The Spear’s 500 website. The table is ordered by ranking and then alphabetically by surname.
Contact us
- To apply for inclusion in The Spear’s 500, complete our submission form.
- For further information about rankings, please email research@spearswms.com; we aim to respond to all queries within two working days.
- For commercial enquiries and questions relating to enhanced profiles, please contact Commercial Director Shady Elkholy: shady.elkholy@spearswms.com
- To keep up to date with the Spear’s 500, subscribe to our magazine, newsletter and follow Spear’s on Linkedin and Instagram.
- If you have missed calendar deadlines for our research cycles in 2025, you can still register your interest for updates about upcoming research and rankings.
- Click here to order a print copy of The Spear’s 500.
