The three Cs of business

'Importing wine has its own challenges', says the author

In my guise as a “wine Consultant”, I have advised quite a few people and companies on how to enter — or to not enter — the wine industry. On an average, I get four to five enquiries a week and one of the first things I am asked is, “Do you know how to make a small fortune in wine”? The answer is, of course, “Start with a large fortune.” If they are still talking to me, then there’s scope to go further.

Investing in the wine industry is a perilous undertaking, regardless of whether one wants to “Make in