“How can we help wine lovers — both new and seasoned — alongside the trade, retailers and growers to bring ‘older wines’ back into sharper focus? This is the core mission of Libération Tardive.”
At the heart of the Libération Tardive Foundation lies a simple yet profound question: How can we reignite the appreciation for ‘older wines’ and elevate them back into the spotlight, where they truly belong? This is a long-term mission — one that requires strategic communication, dedication and time to cultivate a sustainable market for age-worthy fine wines.
In response, we’ve established a global non-profit foundation, based in the UK — a hub renowned for sophisticated wine communication and trading. Led by a distinguished team of wine experts, including Christopher Burr MW, a seasoned veteran with a career spanning prestigious roles at Hedges & Butler, Robert Drouhin, Menzendorff and Christie’s International Wine Auctions, we are committed to reshaping industry perceptions around wine ageing.
Our vision is to engage every segment of the wine supply chain — from producers and merchants to exporters, wholesalers and consumers — in understanding the transformative power of time on fine wines. We believe that great wines require time to evolve, and that wines aged 10 years plus hold unmatched potential for complexity, balance and character. Yet, far too often, these wines are released prematurely, before they’ve had a chance to reveal their true brilliance.
To achieve this, we’ve assembled a team of experts to bring our vision to life: Dominic Buckwell, a qualified sommelier and commercial lawyer; James Belton, an experienced management accountant; and Fran Bridgewater FCIM, a marketing specialist who has shaped our communication strategy and branding in collaboration with Lesley Lee. With their combined expertise, we are ready to launch a 10-to-20-year initiative that will challenge industry practices, inspire education and drive change across the global wine market.
The Foundation’s mission is clear: to shift the industry’s perspective on ageing, promote research and offer educational programmes that highlight the beauty of wines aged 10 years plus. We aim to create a future where producers and merchants are financially motivated to retain wine stocks for five to ten years or longer, releasing them only at their prime drinking window.
Through this, we hope to preserve the art of ageing fine wine for future generations, ensuring that consumers savour wines at their peak while elevating the global appreciation of aged wines. Join us in this ambitious movement, as we work to reshape the wine world’s approach to time and enhance the market for exceptional, 10+ aged fine wines.
“The purpose of Liberation Tardive (LT) is to ensure the market delivers available stocks of older wines, so the market can enjoy the fruits of winemaking techniques designed to produce wines capable of improving with bottle age. Everyone in the supply chain stands to benefit: growers, producers, exporters, importers, wholesalers, storage companies and retailers – from an improved understanding and appreciation of aged wines”
Dominic Buckwell