Spending it

Wine collectors are facing an altered auction landscape this spring.

Good storage is an essential - and often over-looked - part of wine collecting.

As the fashion world gathers in New York in September for the first of the shows, we look at the increase in demand for exclusivity in clothing and couture.

As food prices are reported to be on the increase, it is no surprise that wine as an alternative asset is attracting interest.

Once the preserve of high profile wealthy families, philanthropy today has become important to a new generation of high net worth clients.

First displayed at HSBC Private Bank's St James's Street office in London, Bruce Denny's latest collection of figurative bronzes, "Humanity", is on show at the Albemarle Gallery, London, SW1, from 6 March to 5 April 2008.

For many clients, investing in fine wines, rare books or old masters can be the ultimate pleasure but the buying process can be fairly complex – requiring careful planning and professional advice.