FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING JOINING THE WINE TRUST
WHY SHOULD I JOIN THE WINE TRUST?
Do you have an interest in wine? If you would like to know more about vines, how wine is made and would like to be involved by having a stakeholding in a wine estate, then joining La Petite Provence Wine Trust would be the ideal opportunity to meet those aspirations. Your annual subscription not only offers you quality wines at a serious discount but, provided you act now, your subscription counts towards a stakeholding in the Trust – equivalent to a 0.25% share.
ARE THERE ANY RISKS FOR ME?
The wine business itself operates through a company – the Olifantshoek Wine Company (Pty) Ltd. The wine company is wholly–owned by a Trust, of which you would become a beneficiary. However, since the company has limited liability, no liabilities can be passed on to the Trust (the shareholder), if the business were to fail, so there is no risk to you.
WHAT IF I NO LONGER WANT TO PARTICIPATE AFTER JOINING?
All you need do is stop paying your annual subscription. You will then no longer be a beneficiary of the Trust and your "part–ownership" will fall away.
IS THERE A WHITE WINE IN YOUR RANGE?
We are constantly looking to increase the range of wines we sell. La Petite Provence Wine Estate exclusively produces red wines, but, through our partnerships with other quality wine estates, we are able offer other varietals, including white wines. This is an area in which our members are able to make important inputs, especially regarding which wines and blends they would like us to source. One interesting development last year was an experiment to produce a Rosé from our Merlot grapes. The success of this move can be gauged from the fact that the wine sold out very quickly.
YOU MENTIONED DIVIDENDS PAID TO MEMBERS?
If you elect to become a Full Member of The Wine Trust, any dividends paid by The Wine Co to The Wine Trust will be shared amongst the Full Members in proportion to their stakeholding, subject to the approval of The Wine Trust Trustees.
CAN I JOIN AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR?
Yes, we welcome new members at any time of the year. The membership year runs from 1 March to the end of February and fees are due on 1 March each year. We will calculate a "pro rata" second year’s subscription to bring your subscription in line with this date. From then on, membership subscription will fall due in March each year.
I AM INTERESTED IN JOINING, BUT I DO NOT LIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA
This is not a problem. We welcome members, wherever they live. We already have members living in other parts of the world. Contact us either by e–mail or SMS and we will get back to you. If you live in the UK, you may be interested in our special arrangements for UK residents.
I AM INTERESTED IN THE SPECIAL OPTION FOR UK RESIDENTS BUT WHY WOULD I RECEIVE LESS WINE?
We have sought to offer UK members a more affordable deal, having taken into account the weakness of Sterling and the high costs of Excise and Import Duty, as well as VAT, when shipping wines to the UK. To be able to offer you this arrangement, we have had to reduce the number of bottles in your allocation. Within this arrangement, you will note that the shipping costs have been heavily subsidised. As an alternative, you may prefer to opt for the normal scheme.
WHAT ARE THE DELIVERY ARRANGEMENTS?
Delivery can be arranged almost anywhere, although costs will vary. In South Africa, many members choose to pick up their wine directly from the Estate, but a very efficient courier service is available. In the UK, we are hoping to offer a similar courier service in the future, but at the moment, we have two collection points – in Oxfordshire and The Midlands.
