Selling Bottles When You Are Downsizing or Moving

When to Start

Start thinking about your collection as soon as you know a move or downsize is coming. Wine and spirits sales take time. Rushing leads to lower offers and logistical headaches.

Ideally, begin the process at least four to six weeks before you need to clear out. This gives time for valuation, decision making, and coordinating pickup or shipping.

If your timeline is tight, let us know upfront. We can often expedite the process for sellers with firm deadlines.

Taking Inventory

Create a list of what you have. For each bottle, note the producer or brand, type of wine or spirit, vintage or age, and quantity.

If you have cellar management software or a spreadsheet, export what you have. A CSV or PDF works fine.

For large collections, approximate counts by section are acceptable. We can refine during review.

• Producer or brand name
• Wine or spirit type
• Vintage year or age statement
• Bottle size if non-standard
• Quantity of each
• Original packaging or cases

Photographing Your Bottles

Good photos help us provide accurate offers. Photograph representative bottles showing front labels, fill levels, and any packaging.

For larger collections, section photos with counts work well. We do not need every individual bottle photographed.

Phone photos in natural light are fine. Clarity matters more than aesthetics.

• Front labels clearly visible
• Fill levels through the glass
• Original wood cases or boxes
• Overall storage area
• Any bottles with condition concerns

Understanding Your Options

You have several options for selling. Auction consignment, direct sale to a buyer, or a combination.

Auction consignment can work for high-value items but involves waiting months for payment, seller fees of ten to twenty-five percent, and uncertain final prices.

Direct sale to a buyer like Proof Cellars provides a known price upfront, faster payment, and no seller fees. For most sellers on a timeline, direct sale is simpler.

Working With Your Timeline

Be upfront about your timeline. If you have a closing date or move date, tell us when you submit.

We typically provide offers within one to three business days. Accepting, coordinating logistics, and completing payment usually takes one to two weeks for smaller collections.

If you need to clear bottles by a specific date, we can work backward from that date to ensure everything is handled in time.

Logistics for Larger Collections

For larger cellars, we coordinate pickup rather than asking you to ship. We arrange packing materials, scheduling, and transport.

If you are moving before the sale completes, we can sometimes arrange temporary storage or expedited pickup.

Keep bottles in proper storage until pickup. Avoid moving wines to a garage, truck, or other non-climate-controlled space.