Security is of paramount importance to Atlas and we take the custodianship of clients’ wines very seriously. Atlas offers one of the leading wine storage solutions in the UK both for clients based here and for those living abroad.
Our In Bond Storage Providers
We store with London City Bond Eton Park, a state-of-the art fine wine storage facility in Burton-on-Trent, which offers optimal conditions and security. Atlas employs in-house logistics experts on site to ensure each case is handled with the utmost care and professionalism. All wines are held in a single area rather than being scattered through the warehouse as can so often be the case with other merchants. Additionally, wines owned by private clients are held separately from Atlas stock – the distinction is made in our records as well as being physical in the bond. Atlas has invested in its own, dedicated photography studio which facilitates a quick turnaround of condition checks and images of high value cases.
Security and Tracking
Atlas clients can track their collection with ease. Each case is traceable by its Unique Identity code (UID), which is affixed to each case of wine on arrival and is held in our detailed records. Each UID is visible to the client in their secure client pages on the Atlas website. Due to the separation of clients’ stock from Atlas’ company stock within LCB Eton Park, any client can access their reserves without Atlas’ involvement should the need arise. This provides the same level of access and control for the client as a direct contract with the bonded facility. Our client reserves are audited by an independent team at LCB Eton Park on a rolling monthly basis so that each case is physically checked at least once every two years.
Cellarage and Insurance
While insurance is often an after-thought for merchants and storage providers, Atlas insures each and every case at full market value, updated monthly, and we believe our cover is the most comprehensive to be found in the UK. Even though cost of insurance and cellarage inevitably rise, Atlas aims to fix cellarage rates for a two-year period to provide peace of mind to clients. We reconcile Atlas’ records to LCB’s independent records at a UID level to ensure there are no discrepancies. We also advise you monthly when wines arrive at the bond so that you can minimise cellarage charges by taking delivery or transferring wines according to your requirements. We calculate cellarage and insurance on a monthly basis and charge quarterly in arrears. To reiterate: we do not charge you cellarage in advance, we charge monthly, reflecting the monthly holding you have with us, and then invoice quarterly in arrears. This has always seemed, to us, the fairest approach. While we may not be the cheapest, we do claim to be the most accurate and most comprehensive. Accuracy comes at a cost, and for us, accuracy and accountability are everything in storage. So, if you would like to learn more about our cellarage service, please reach out. Many of our clients have chosen to consolidate their stocks with Atlas and we regularly welcome stocks from other providers. Transferring is easier than you might imagine. We do not charge for receiving or checking incoming stocks, so you are only likely to be billed a physical delivery cost from your current provider. We can provide any prospective client with a quotation for cellarage and insurance, should they wish to consolidate their holdings with Atlas.
Consolidating your Reserves
For clients who buy and sell through Atlas, we encourage that they consolidate their reserves into our care. Not only does this provide them with a thorough view of their holdings, but it provides the peace of mind that their wines will be stored properly and securely. Should you decide to consolidate, our logistics team will manage the transfer of your reserves. We may advise that higher value wines be photographed on arrival and that the condition of the bottles be checked. Once each case is assigned a Unique Identifier code, it will show in your online account with details including drink dates and market values.
Delivery
We understand that delivery of fine wine in a timely and efficient manner is of great importance to our clients. We therefore oversee the entire process, from instruction to delivery, keeping a watchful eye on delivery time and fulfilment. We invariably use LCB’s own transport team, who have decades of experience and understand the importance of careful handling of fine wines. Gift deliveries can be arranged with ease. For each despatch, we provide a proof of delivery to confirm that the wine has been received in timely fashion by the intended recipient. We can also advise on and arrange international shipments as we do for many of our international clients. You can request a delivery by accessing your online account or by contacting any member of the Atlas team.
