With a uniform VLT SINFONI data set of nine targets, we have developed an empirical grid of J, H, K spectra of the atmospheres of objects estimated to have very low substellar masses of ~5-20M_Jup_ and young ages ranging from ~1-50Myr. Most of the targets are companions, objects which are especially valuable for comparison with atmosphere and evolutionary models, as they present rare cases in which the age is accurately known from the primary. Based on the youth of the sample, all objects are expected to have low surface gravity, and this study investigates the critical early phases of the evolution of substellar objects. The spectra are compared with grids of five different theoretical atmosphere models. *********** * * Sorry, but the author(s) never supplied the tabular material * announced in the paper * * ************