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En Primeur
What does "En Primeur" actually mean?
En Primeur (pronounced "on pree-mer") refers to a very old practice originally associated with the purchase of young Bordeaux wine that has not yet been bottled and is still in the cask. It differs to buying "sur souche", where a wine merchant would buy a wine before the end of harvest and the grapes were still on the vine (this happens very rarely nowadays).
Which regions sell their wine this way?
Although this process could be practiced anywhere in the world, only a few regions sell their wines this way. Bordeaux and Burgundy are the key two areas. Typically, the Bordeaux Chateaux will release their wines for sale after the Unions des Grands Crus tastings in the April following vintage, although many producers choose to delay the release until May and later still in some cases. Many Burgundian producers in recent years have come to release their wines for sale in the January following vintage although a number of producers still do not release their wines for sale until they are in the bottle a year afterwards.
Why buy"En Primeur?"
Historically the main reason for buying "En Primeur" was to buy at a better price than that which you might pay when the wine is bottled and shipped to the UK. Other advantages are:
that you may specify what size format you would like at the time of purchase, e.g. halves, magnums or larger you will be buying the wine in absolutely mint, original condition.
that you are, in effect, buying stock "direct from the Chateau." This ensures quality stock of impeccable provenance or origin.
that you should be able to purchase the quantity that you require rather than, in ten years time, find yourself searching for stock and possibly paying a premium.
How do I actually buy "En Primeur"?
Most wine merchants will publish an opening offer of these wines either on paper, on the internet or will offer via e-mail and telephone. You will be required to pay for the wines straight away or within a period of credit often offered by some merchants. You should retain the invoice as proof of ownership and retain a receipt for your payment. The wines will generally be sold "in bond" or excluding duty and VAT - some merchants include the cost of carriage to the UK and some don't so bear this in mind. When the wine arrives in the country, you will be informed of this by the merchant and asked for confirmation of delivery instructions. At this point you may opt to store the wines in bond, store them duty paid or have the wines delivered. Should you choose either of the latter two options, you will then be required to pay duty and VAT at the prevailing rate. Should you choose to store the wine in bond with the merchant, you will only pay duty and VAT if and when you take delivery. Again, bear in mind that most merchants will charge you for storage on an annual basis.
Where to store your En Primeur wines?
It is important to store your wines in a cellar or professional warehouse where your wines can mature at the correct temperature and humidity. An ideal cellar will be a constant 55 degrees Fahrenheit and around 70-80% humidity. It is sometimes impossible to store wines at home due to all manner of reasons. Corney & Barrow have over one million sq ft. of high quality cellar space available with our logistics partner Octavian Ltd, with sophisticated computerized humidity and temperature control systems. We are more than happy to arrange storage for your wines there and your cases will be marked with your details and stored in perfect conditions for a small annual rental charge (please refer to our terms and conditions for details).
Are there any risks of buying "En Primeur"?
You must buy from a financially stable merchant or broker with a good history of not only selling wines in this way, but delivering them too! If you are new to buying wine in this way, we would strongly advise you to refer to Jim Budd's website www.investdrinks.org which is an invaluable guide not only on how to buy, but who to buy from.
