Sichel readies “state of the art” bonded warehouse in Bordeaux

Maison Sichel has invested in the construction of a bonded warehouse in Bordeaux for the use of its clients.

Export director Charles Sichel, told the drinks business that the facility was state of the art and conceived in the wake of the French government’s change of legislation allowing indefinite storage in bond in 2009.

“We (the négociants) explained that we needed that requirement to store in bond,” he said.

‘We needed that facility and took the decision to invest in a bonded warehouse, which will allow our clients the chance to buy their wines from us and then store them in bond in Bordeaux.”

Sichel said that the advantages were as much to do with unbroken provenance as monetary benefits.

He continued: “There is a twofold advantage. First is price as it is cheaper to store in Bordeaux than anywhere else but also it means that clients can store in bond in Bordeaux without diluting the provenance.”

Clients will also be able to trade with one another within the facility without moving stock, although Sichel insisted that only the trade would be allowed to open accounts although merchants would of course be able to make trades on their own clients’ behalf.

The warehouse – which is still being built – is 5,000 metres squared and operated entirely by robots, with very limited human involvement.

It is apparently “state of the art” and fulfils all the necessary requirements concerning safety and security.

Now that négociants and other operators have the ability to open warehouses in Bordeaux, Sichel is sure that more are sure to follow suit.

Indeed, Sichel joins Bordeaux City Bond – an operation run by Vinexpo and the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce – as another dedicated fine wine storage facility in the region, although BcB has a wider not always trade connected client base.