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Atlas Fine Wines | Nov 10, 2014
Simon Larkin (MW and Managing Director of Atlas Fine Wines Ltd.) has just been profiled in the Spear's 500, a comprehensive guide to leading private client advisers for lawyers, wealth managers and service providers to High Net Worth Individuals. Spears Magazine aims to be the go to resource for HNWIs, providing commentary and a directory of leading providers to its global circulation list of 62,000 readers.
Simon, described by Spears as one of the ‘new generation of British wine experts,’ is one of just 14 advisers in the wine industry to be featured in this prestigious publication. The full profile appears in the hard copy of the guide, online and below.
The Spear’s 500 – Simon Larkin MW, Atlas Fine Wines Ltd.
A member of the tasting panel for the World of Fine Wine, Simon Larkin is regarded as one of the new generation of top British wine experts. 'Advice and service levels vary dramatically in the fine wine world' says Simon Larkin who founded Atlas in 2010 after two decades with one of the UK's top wine merchants.
Simon qualified as a Master of Wine in 2004 on his first attempt. His expertise has also won the Madame Bollinger Medal for Tasting Excellence in the notoriously demanding MW examination. Such credentials give him a unique reputation with both growers and négoçiants in France as well as a small army of loyal HNW clients, especially those who regard themselves as 'collectors' building private cellars.
Atlas offer a 'cellar check' service for HNWs (usually with cellars having a value of £20,000 plus) who are looking for advice on which wines to buy for wither personal drinking or as an investment. A report, including drink dates and market prices, is also issued along with suggestions for filling any gaps in the collection.
Atlas was founded with the aim of providing 'an extremely high level of personal advice to the discerning fine wine collector.' Based in Canary Wharf, Larkin and his growing team manage collections for principally UK-based HNWIs, backing their advice with intelligent reporting and in-depth analysis through its advisory and brokerage services.
Within a highly personalised service, it is Atlas' stock management that Larkin believes sets the company apart from competitors. Larkin has taken unprecedented steps to safeguard the client's interests, a topic of increasing importance in the modern wine world. 'We believe that the degree of security we provide is not matched in the industry' comments Larkin.
'The ability to validate critical reviews with our own judgement is hugely important and our clients rely on those opinions' says Larkin. His informed opinion also extends to advice on current market trends and conditions with the aim of educating clients interested in investing.
Larkin's own tasting diary is a collector's item in itself. When quizzed on highlights of his tasting experience, without pausing, Larkin immediately cites 1989 Château Haut-Brion as 'pure perfection'. Naturally, he can supply it as well.
All of us at Atlas are delighted with this recognition; Atlas was certainly one of the more recently established and boutique companies to be featured. It means even more to acknowledge that the nominations came from within the industry.