Seller’s Guide · Vine & Hammer Fine Wine Auction
Sell your fine wine for the best possible price
A step-by-step guide to listing, pricing and getting paid through Vine & Hammer — the UK’s peer-to-peer fine wine auction marketplace.
Step-by-step seller guide
From submission to payment in as few as 7 days
Create a free account
Head to vineandhammer.com and create your free seller account. All you need is an email address. Once registered, your identity will be verified before your first lot goes live — this protects buyers and helps us maintain the quality of our marketplace.
- Registration is completely free
- Identity verification takes less than 5 minutes
- You can submit lots immediately — verification runs in parallel
Submit your lot
Click List Wine in the navigation and complete the submission form. The more detail you provide, the better — buyers on Vine & Hammer are knowledgeable collectors who value transparency and honest descriptions.
You’ll need to provide:
- Producer, wine name, vintage and format (e.g. 12 x 75cl OWC)
- Storage location and duty status (In Bond or Duty Paid)
- Fill level and packaging condition
- Provenance notes — how you acquired the wine and where it has been stored
- Your starting price and reserve (optional)
- Clear photographs of the wine, case and labels
We review your lot
Our team reviews every submission before it goes live. We check that the wine meets our listing criteria, that the provenance is consistent and that the description and photographs are accurate. This typically takes less than 24 hours.
We may contact you if we need additional information — for example, storage records, purchase receipts or additional photographs.
- We’ll email you as soon as your lot is approved
- We may suggest pricing adjustments based on recent market data
- We reserve the right to decline lots that don’t meet our standards
Your lot goes live
Once approved, your lot is published in our next auction. Auctions are timed — typically running for 7–14 days. You can monitor bidding activity in real time from your account dashboard.
- You’ll receive email notifications as bids are placed
- If your reserve isn’t met, the lot won’t sell — no charge to you
- You can withdraw a lot before the first bid at any time
- Once a bid has been placed, lots cannot be withdrawn
Auction closes — you’re notified
When the auction ends, you’ll receive an email confirming the hammer price and the winning buyer’s delivery details. You’ll also receive a sale invoice showing the hammer price and our 12.5% commission deduction.
- Hammer price confirmed by email within 1 hour of close
- Buyer has 48 hours to complete payment
- You’ll be notified once payment is received and held in escrow
Arrange delivery
Once payment is confirmed in escrow, you arrange delivery to the buyer. Wine must be shipped using an approved courier with adequate insurance. We recommend the following specialist wine shippers:
- Davies Turner — specialist wine logistics, bonded warehouse collections
- Connoisseur International — UK and international wine shipping
- Seabrooks — temperature-controlled wine transport
- AnyVan Wine — cost-effective UK domestic delivery
For wines held in bonded storage (LCB, Octavian etc.), we can facilitate a change of ownership — contact us and we’ll coordinate directly with the warehouse.
Receive your payment
Once the buyer confirms receipt and condition of the wine, the escrowed funds are released and your payment is processed. You’ll receive the hammer price minus our 12.5% commission, paid directly to your nominated bank account.
- Payment processed within 7 days of buyer confirmation
- Bank transfer (BACS) to your nominated UK account
- Full transaction statement provided for your records
- If the buyer doesn’t confirm within 5 days, funds are released automatically
What we accept
We focus on investment-grade fine wine where provenance, storage and condition can be verified
✓ We actively seek
- Bordeaux First Growths and right bank icons
- Red and white Burgundy from top domaines
- Vintage Champagne — prestige cuvées
- Barolo, Brunello and Super Tuscans
- Cult Californian — Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Opus One
- Rare and aged Port and Sauternes
- Whisky — rare single malts and distillery releases
- Mixed cellars from estate sales and collections
✗ We don’t accept
- Wine below £200 per lot estimated value
- Wines with poor fill levels (below upper shoulder)
- Damaged, stained or illegible labels
- Wine stored at home without temperature control
- Lots without clear provenance or purchase documentation
- Opened or partially consumed bottles
- Non-investment grade everyday wine
Fees & commission
Simple, transparent pricing with no hidden charges
| Fee | Amount | When charged |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | £0 | Never — free to list |
| Seller’s commission | 12.5% of hammer price | Only on successful sale |
| Unsold lot fee | £0 | Never — no sale, no charge |
| Withdrawal fee | £0 | Free before first bid |
| Photography | £0 | Seller provides own photos |
| Payment processing | Included | No additional card fees |
Buyers pay a 12.5% buyer’s premium on top of the hammer price — this is separate from the seller’s commission and disclosed to buyers upfront on every lot.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set my reserve price?
Your reserve is the minimum price you’ll accept — if bidding doesn’t reach your reserve, the lot won’t sell and you pay nothing. We recommend setting your reserve at around 80-90% of your target price. Lots without a reserve tend to attract more bidding activity. Our team can advise on appropriate pricing when we review your submission.
What if my wine doesn’t sell?
No charge. If your reserve isn’t met or the lot receives no bids, there’s nothing to pay. We’ll contact you to discuss whether to relist at a lower reserve, or you can simply take your wine back. We relist unsold lots at no additional cost.
How should I photograph my wine?
Good photographs significantly improve results. Photograph in natural daylight against a neutral background. Include: the front of the bottle showing the label clearly, the back label, the fill level (capsule and neck), any case or packaging, and the case label if applicable. A minimum of 3 photos is recommended — up to 10 per lot.
My wine is in a bonded warehouse — can I still sell it?
Absolutely — in fact, bonded storage is ideal. Wine held at professional facilities like London City Bond (LCB) or Octavian commands higher prices due to guaranteed storage conditions and clear provenance. We can facilitate a simple change of ownership record with the warehouse, avoiding the need to physically move the wine.
How long does it take to get paid?
We aim to pay sellers within 7 days of auction close, subject to buyer confirmation. Payment is made by BACS bank transfer to your nominated UK account. You’ll receive a full transaction statement showing the hammer price, commission deduction and net payment amount.
Can I sell wine on behalf of someone else?
Yes — we work with executors, cellar managers and wine merchants selling on behalf of clients. Please contact us directly to discuss trade and estate sale arrangements, which may qualify for preferential commission rates.
What happens if the buyer disputes the condition?
We take disputes seriously. If a buyer raises a condition concern, our team reviews the case using the photographs and description provided at listing. If the wine was accurately described and photographed, the seller is protected. Buyers accept that fine wine is a natural product and minor variation is expected — cosmetic issues visible in photographs are not grounds for dispute.
Ready to list your first lot?
It takes less than 10 minutes. No listing fee, no commitment — and our team reviews every submission within 24 hours.
List a Wine Now