Welcome to this 9th episode of the Club, where we are going to talk about the en primeur system in Bordeaux wine. It is a perfectly topical episode, since en primeur is taking place at the very moment I’m speaking to you.
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So let’s get back to en primeur. Have you ever heard of this famous, much-awaited event in the wine world?
By the end of this episode, you will know everything about en primeur: its history, how it works, how to buy wine en primeur and how to find good deals.
Definition of Bordeaux en primeur
We will go into much more detail, but let’s start with a short definition of en primeur. En primeur refers to the moment during which wine merchants in Bordeaux can buy the wine at the estate while it is still in barrel. It will then be bottled and made available to the public around 2 years later.
In very concrete terms, en primeur lets châteaux generate cash flow by selling their wines even before they are bottled.
For their part, the people who buy wine during en primeur benefit from an attractive price.
The history of en primeur in Bordeaux wine
Now that you know what en primeur is, I suggest you discover the history of this tradition in Bordeaux. The tradition of en primeur sales in Bordeaux goes back to the 18th century. However, we have to wait until the end of the 20th century, that is to say the start of the 1980s, for the en primeur system to become institutionalised under the impetus of Baron Philippe de Rothschild.
Why buy wine during en primeur?
However, you are probably wondering why buy wine en primeur? Buying wine during en primeur has a twofold benefit. The first is for the wine producer. Selling their wine even before having bottled it lets them obtain cash flow and therefore continue and develop their business.
For the customer, buying wine with en primeur lets you obtain fine bottles at a reduced price. That is already an excellent excuse to stock up your wine cellar a little more. So, with en primeur, you can buy bottles of grands crus that could become rare in the future. If you are a collector, and you want to have all the vintages of an estate or an appellation, en primeur is made for you.
Furthermore, en primeur is an excellent way to invest in wine. Indeed, you can buy the wine at a reduced price and hope to resell it once bottled, making a profit. Do find out, however, about the terms of the operation. If the topic of investing in wine interests you, I could dedicate a series of episodes to it, so don’t hesitate to let me know by leaving a comment on the podcast or by contacting me on social media or on the Wine Makers Show website.
Concretely, how does en primeur work?
Concretely, en primeur is first of all the occasion for a great opening of the châteaux. It is during this time that the merchants taste the current vintage. The crazy week of en primeur therefore gives rise to a multitude of tastings and very important reviews. It is also at this moment that the purchase orders are placed. It should be noted that brokers also play a crucial role during this period. They ensure the link between the châteaux and the merchants.
Can I buy wine en primeur?
But then, you are certainly asking yourself “how to buy wine en primeur?”. The first answer that comes to mind is “if you are not a professional, you will not be able to buy wine en primeur”. Indeed, it is reserved for merchants.
How to buy wine during en primeur?
Fortunately, there is a mechanism that will let you buy wine during en primeur. Indeed, if you cannot buy wine from the châteaux, you can buy it from the merchants. Many of them offer you the chance to reserve your bottles right now and to receive them in two years.
So you can buy wine en primeur on many websites such as Cavissima, Millésima or Château Primeur. You can also contact merchants. Note that there is a union of Bordeaux houses that will let you find a list of merchants. It is not necessarily exhaustive, but it can give you an idea of a few names to contact.
If you want to find out more about the job of merchant, you can listen to the interview with Emmanuel Coiffe in this podcast. He is the director of the Eugen Grand Vin house and answers all your questions on the subject in this interview.
What are the limits of en primeur?
Finally, all systems have their limits, and this is also the case for en primeur sales. So I suggest we dwell for a few minutes on them.
The first criticism rests on the speculation surrounding en primeur. Prices have kept rising in recent years, which can frustrate the enthusiast and put off the curious. However, it is not only the grands crus that take part in en primeur, and you can find some very good deals.
The other limit of en primeur concerns the role of wine critics such as Robert Parker. These critics only highlight the best-rated wines and give them international exposure that can contribute to the rise in wine prices. It is hard to hold it against these people, who allow French wines to enjoy great exposure.
Finally, reserved for certain hand-picked professionals, the en primeur system is criticised for the fact that the end customers cannot taste the wine at the time of their purchase. It is, however, difficult to respond to this, given how exclusive the wines are.
So the en primeur system is far from perfect, but its advantages are considerable enough not to be called into question.
And you, are you interested in buying wine during en primeur? Tell me in the comments or on social media.
And there you have it, well done, you now know the Bordeaux en primeur system by heart. We have once again seen that wine is not a drink like any other. Its sale is full of surprises and tradition. Learning about wine is crucial to finally being able to fully enjoy it. So I’ll see you in the next episode. In the meantime, to continue your wine-learning efforts, head to the Club. By signing up, you can be notified of the next episodes and have all the bonuses associated with them, and learn about wine simply. It’s free, it’s interesting and if you ever change your mind, you can unsubscribe whenever you like. So go and sign up!
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